Désirs Noires
by MisseditbyThatMuch
Summary: Sebastian has spent the last century searching for the soul that managed to unexpectedly slip through his fingers.His hunt leads him to the most unusual person: A Phantomhive heir with the same name as his previous master. -Rated for language-
1. Ch 1 The Manor

**Chapter One**

_Foncé._

Ciel's french vocabulary didn't fail her as she let her eyes wonder around the vast foray she found herself. _Trés foncé_. Very dark indeed. The description suited the musky atmosphere that, according to the lawyer, hadn't been occupied for the past six years. Apparently even her deceased grandfather could only stand living in the antique mansion for so long.

She dropped a finger to the wooden banister, running it along the curve of the carved wood before drawing it back. The pale skin of her finger was coated in a thick layer of gray dust. She sighed, brushing it off against her dark jeans. Doubt was beginning to seep into her mind about her decision of moving from her cozy city apartment to the English country side. Perhaps it hadn't been such a brilliant idea on her part.

She bit her lip, glancing around, who was she trying to fool. Ever since she'd first recieved the letter requesting her presences at the reading of a certain James Phantomhive's will, she'd felt irrevocably drawn here. It was only of a somewhat surprise that her deceased grandfather would leave everything he owned to the daughter of a son that cut all family ties years before she'd been born.

Not that she was complaining. The bank account had enough digits that she could probably live lavishly for the rest of her life and her children after her. The Victorian era mansion had only been the cherry to seal the deal. And even now, looking over the dust coated furniture and cobwebbed ceilings, she didn't regret any of her decisions.

"Gorgeous, isn't it?" A feminine voice asked, pulling her from her private thoughts.

Ciel gave a curt nod, eyeing the blonde from the very corner of her eyes. The woman looked too young to have been her grandfather's original lawyer, considering she looked to be about twenty-six at most, but Ciel didn't voice these thoughts allowed.

The lawyer smiled, gesturing for Ciel to follow her up the stairwell. "Everything here are the originals, for the very floor we walk on to the antique furniture. The only things that have been replaced throughout the years have been all the curtains, bedspreads, and such. Even then, your ancestors took great care in replicating the originals down to the very last thread."

Ciel feigned interest in what the lawyer had to say. In all honesty the blonde could have told her that there had been no more furnishing in the manor and she wouldn't have cared any less. She was just grateful that this place was her own. It seemed like some sort of dream that she might wake up from. It just wasn't logical that someone like herself would inherit so much finery without having to lay down a single dime for it all.

"The history of this place is the best though," the lawyer continued to chatter, unaware that Ciel wasn't paying much mind to her words.

Instead Ciel's mind found itself on the painting sitting at the first landing they met. To say it was large was an understatement. It had to have been at least three times Ciel's height, but the most impressive feature was the actual painting that lay within the golden framework. A boy, who had to be no more than thirteen at most, sat with a mask of indifference on his face. There was no doubt that he was noble, not with all the finery and lace that adorned his petite frame.

Carefully, Ciel lifted her hand up to the smooth lines of paint, running her fingers lightly over the curve of the painting fabric of the coats. Something just seemed so familiar about it all... and it wasn't the apparent resemblance, because there was that as well. The slate colored locks obviously were in the family genes, though neither of her own parents had such hair color, and the large sapphire colored eyes. Ciel smiled softly, it was obvious that he was just as much of a Phantomhive as she was.

"Huh?" She turned, looking up at the lawyer curiously.

The blonde smiled kindly, "What is it?"

"Can you repeat what you just said, I didn't catch it," Ciel asked politely.

"Oh," the blonde smiled. "I was just saying how the original manor burned down to the ground, when I noticed you looking at the painting, so I mentioned who it was."

Ciel slide another gaze to the painted boy, before looking back up at the woman, "Who is it?"

The lawyer smiled before moving to the painting. She let her blue eyes scan over it before a sad, haunted smile pulled at her thin lips.

"That was the Earl of Phantomhive, Ciel Phantomhive," she slide a glance to Ciel at the girl's sharp intake of breath. "Tragically he died very young, only nineteen if I can recall my history correctly. He left on sole heir, who his newly wedded wife conceived three months after his untimely death."

Ciel gazed up at the painting of the boy who held her own name, of rather her his, with a renewed interest.

"How did he die?" She inquired softly. "Illness?"

"No, he was crushed beneath a building that collapsed suddenly."

Ciel couldn't help the small wince at imaging the crushing force of a building tumbling down onto her body. It was a horrible fate to wish upon anyone, but having lived the life she had, she knew life was just a cruel devil in disguise. The so called happiness that was supposed to be granted with it was nothing more than a deceptive lie that dripped from the honey sweet lips of the devil, in her opinion.

"Shall we continue the tour?" The lawyer asked, once more shattering through the girl's thoughts.

She nodded, following carefully behind the lawyer as she led them up past the next set of stairs leading to the right and down a corridor. Similar to the foray, the hallway was dusted with a fine layer of gray and silver cobwebs clung to the furniture and corners of the ceiling. Ciel paused to dig a shoe into the carpet, watching at the color became brighter beneath the work of her toe. One thing was for certain, the place needed a through cleaning.

"Down this way...," the lawyer's voice trailed off, as Ciel ceased following her to stare at the door the lawyer had brushed past. Running her hand down the smooth wood of the double doors, she looked down the hallway to where the blonde disappeared before glancing back at the door. She cursed herself mentally for being so idiotic of her to do so, this was her home now, but she still couldn't help but to feel strange barging into any room she wished. Ciel guessed it still hadn't fully sunken in yet that all of this was hers.

Slowly, as if she was afraid of being caught, she pressed the handle down and pushed. The door swung open with a small groan, revealing the large expanse of room behind it. As if she'd opened a crypt a small breeze rushed out, sending a lungful of stale air into the girl's face. She coughed, muffling it with the sleeve of her shirt as she stepped into the room.

Thick curtains covered the windows at the back of the room, preventing her from seeing much more than shapes in the dark expanse. The white sheets tossed over forms of furniture were the easier to spot in the darkness as she brushed past them slowly, as if she were drifting through a dream. If someone were to glance at one of the sheeted things quickly, they might have been led to believe the odd shaped white splotches to be phantoms. Ciel chuckled at the thought. Phantoms, it sure suited the family name.

Wondering further into the room, Ciel took notice of the one piece of furniture that wasn't draped over with a white sheet. A large bed of dark mahogany sat against the left side wall, a blanket of white thrown over the mattress and a large canopy of royal blue hanging over it. Ciel's fingers danced through the silk material of the canopy and she let her eyes drift closer, breathing in deeply she let the sense of familiarity wash over her. Though she'd never stepped foot inside the mansion before today, everything seemed as if she'd been here before.

"Oh, there you are," the nervous voice startled Ciel out of her trance. "I was wondering where you went off to."

Turning Ciel found the lawyer standing just outside the threshold of the room. The blonde's face was taunt with the very same nervousness that had leaked it's way into her voice.

Ciel forced a pleasant smile onto her face, "I was just exploring a bit. Hope you don't mind."

The blonde twiddled her thumbs, "Ah... of course not."

Ciel's lips pulled down into a small frown. "Is something the matter?"

The lawyer looked up once more, before shooting her blue gaze left and right as if she were waiting for something to manifest from the shadows any minute. Ciel nearly snorted at the thought. If she really believe that then she must be more idiotic then the girl originally thought when she'd first saw her waiting for her to enter the lawyer's office at the will reading.

"Nothing much," she gave a breathy laugh. "Just some old superstitions."

Ciel's frown became more pronounced, "What superstitions?"

The lawyer swallowed hard, clearly uncomfortable with the topic at hand. "It's really nothing to worry about. Just some stories the older generation likes to tell."

The Phantomhive folded her arms across her small chest in a demanding manner, "Well? Am I allowed to know or is the owner of the mansion kept from this knowledge?"

The blonde chuckled uneasily, "Of course not. I just thought you'd be more comfortable living here if you didn't know."

Ciel snorted, "Honestly, I'm not a child. I understand reality from fiction."

The lawyer looked slightly insulted, but only nodded, "If you really wish to know then follow me. I'd rather not stay near this room for much longer."

Ciel scowled at the room around her, there really wasn't anything that should frighten a person. It was just another room to her. A very spacious room, but nothing extraordinary about it otherwise.

Sighing, she resigned herself to leaving the room behind and following the lawyer down the hall and back to the foray. The blonde seemed to grow more comfortable the further away she got; her tense shoulders sagging as she uncoiled from her pervious unease. Was she really so frightened of a room? It would've been humorous to Ciel, if she hadn't found it so vexing.

How could a grown women act so childish and not feel shame?

"Okay, well this is where I'll end the tour. You can explore the rest of it on your own, I just suggest that you avoid the attic, it hasn't been touched in years so who knows what sort of shape the floors are like up there."

Ciel nodded, narrowly avoiding an eye roll. She hadn't been planning on it anyway. "Of course, but before you leave may I hear that story."

The lawyer seemed to consider refusing to tell Ciel, the blue eyes clouding over with uncertainty. Ciel growled lowly to herself. Surely whatever the stupid superstition was, it couldn't be so bad that she would refuse to tell her? It wasn't as if she were twelve. She was seventeen, dammit! Weren't teenagers supposed to be known for being drawn to this sort of thing?

"If you don't tell me, I'll just research it myself," she threatened lamely, hating that she had to stoop so low to get what she wanted.

The blue eyes shot to Ciel's face, examining it to see how determined the girl was. It didn't take her low before the face fell and she sighed, running a hand through the blonde locks tumbling over her shoulders.

"Very well," the lawyer muttered, before looking at Ciel seriously. "It's a well known fact that anyone who sets foot in that room mets a horrible fate."

Ciel scowled, folding her arms over her chest, "That's what you nearly refused to tell me? A silly curse?"

She shot the girl a glare, "I wouldn't brush it aside so easily, Miss Phantomhive."

Ciel snorted, "I don't believe in things that aren't supported by factual evidence."

"Suit yourself," the blonde paused, her eyes softening. "Even if you don't believe it, I suggest that you do be careful. There's been more than enough tragic fates in this mansion, do not become yet another of them."

Ciel rolled her eyes at the departing figure. Who was she to tell her what she should or should not do? Ciel could do whatever she damn well pleased. She didn't carry the name Ciel Phantomhive for nothing.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN**__: Okay, let me explain somethings before any of you jump down my throat about this. First thing first, explanation of why I wrote that Ciel was married at nineteen. During the victorian era women were married as young as sixteen, while male heirs usual in their later teens and early twenties depending on their social status (There were also the exceptions of older men marrying later on in life. This usual happened due to divorces or death of their wives; more of the latter due to the views of society at the time). Being a noble and betrothed at that, Ciel would have found himself in a marriage with Lizzy younger than many other males his age. Second, why/how did Ciel die if he had Sebastian? That I shall explain more in depth later when Sebastian makes his entrance ;) It wouldn't be fair of me to ruin it too soon. And third, isn't Ciel's name a boy's name? Nope, I did enough research to prove otherwise. It's unisex and comes from many different cultures. So yes, Ciel can also be a girl's name as well._

_The title Désirs Noir is french, if you couldn't tell. The literal translation is Desires Black, but since in the french language color adjectives come after the words they describe you'd have to switch the words around to make sense in English. So the title is Black Desires in English, rather then Desires Black which doesn't make all too much sense. _

_Also please don't hate me because of Ciel, she isn't entirely a female version of Earl Ciel Phantomhive as you'll find out as you read on, but neither is she completely apart from him either. And yes I know that it will get really confusing later on with both of them sharing the same name, but there is a reason behind why I did that. You guys will just have to wait and see. Anyway, thanks for reading both my rant and the story (if you even read the rant =_= ). I would greatly appreciate comments, since it would be nice to know what you think of this story and if I should even pursue it any further. So if you have time please share your thoughts with me :) _


	2. Ch 2 Familiar Faces

**Chapter Two**

"Oh and don't you look just adorable in that outfit, Ciel!"

Ciel sighed, limply allowing herself to be squeezed half to death by the overly loving arms of her aunt. She had known she'd be like this the moment the woman had seen her. It was the usual routine when she met with her mother's sister, which regretfully would be everyday now. Ciel sighed again at the thought. It would be troublesome to have her for her new anatomy professor.

"White really compliments your eye color dear," the red head cooed, placing a hand on the sleeve of Ciel's sweater. "Though I really would wish to see you in a more vibrant color...such as red!"

Ciel rolled her eyes, "Red washes me out, Aunt Ann."

"Auntie Ann," she corrected instantly, brushing a strand of red from her face. "Now tell me, is the mansion to your liking?"

"Well enough," Ciel muttered.

She smirked to herself secretly. The lawyer would have been disappointed to hear that her choice of a bedroom had been the master's suite. She hadn't been about to let some idiotic notion about curses and such scare her away from the most spacious room in the whole mansion. Besides such things as curses didn't have a place in the physical world. It was silly even to believe in such things in the first place.

"I'm glad to hear it, though it still worries me that my cute little niece is living on her own. You sure you still don't wish to move it with me? I have plenty of room for my favorite cute, little niece," the red head promised, crushing Ciel to her once more.

Ciel nodded, pushing out of her grasp, "Yes, I'm fine on my own."

She pouted out her red lips, "You wound me, Ciel."

The girl rolled her eyes once more, drawing her text books to her chest, "May I take my seat now? Class is about to begin after all."

The teacher nodded, looking sad about allowing Ciel to go. She simply brushed the look off, before slipping her way to the back of the quickly filling up classroom. Thankfully her first day had been pretty uneventful so far and no one had gone out of their way to bother her too much. She hated the attention that did manage to be direct her way though. Social scenes were very bothersome and wasted more time then they did in making up for it in the Phantomhive's mind.

She was just pulling out a fresh notebook for this class when she felt, more than saw someone slide into the desk next to hers. Allowing her gaze to flicker to their shoes briefly, she held back a sigh.

Just lovely.

Ciel sat upright, looking straight ahead as she uncapped her pen. Beneath her desk, she crossed her fingers in silent prayer that whoever it was would just abandon all thoughts of bothering her and leave her be. Even she knew that the hopes were a lost cause before she'd even begun thinking them.

" 'Ey, your the new student right?" A heavily accented voice asked from her left.

Sighing, Ciel allowed her eyes to slide to the left. Unsurprising it was a male student, likely in his fourth year with the course being an advanced placement. He was bronzed darkly with mahogany colored waves of hair falling around his head. Dark eyes shone with excitement as he looked over at Ciel expectantly. She nearly groaned, but sucked it in last minute. Somehow she just knew he was going to be an annoyance.

"Yes."

"Your name's Ciel right?"

"Yes."

"By your name I thought you were going to be a boy."

"Ciel can be a girl's name too, obviously," she muttered sharply, growing tired with the twenty questions. She felt like she was being interrogated and she didn't like it.

"I guess you're right," he mumbled, tapping his chin with his fingers before thrusting that hand out towards Ciel. "I'm Soma Kadar."

Ciel looked from his hand to his face, before allowing her eyes to roll and turned forward once more.

"Ah, Agni! The new girl is so cold!" He whined, drawing Ciel's attention to the boy seated in front of him.

Her eyes widened by a fraction, but she quickly composed her expression. Agni, or at least that was the name Soma had called him by, was an even darker bronze then the other boy and had a head full of snow colored locks. His eyes were a piercing hazel green color, that stood out in stark contrast to his other coloring. But what drew the most attention to him was the white bandage wrapped tightly around his hand. Something about the sight of it made Ciel weary. He looked like trouble.

"I'm not cold, I just don't appreciate having my class time disrupted," she interrupted, sending a sharp glance toward Soma.

"My friend, it appears you are in the wrong this time," the boy called Agni said, his deep voice oddly calming compared to his nearly intimidating appearance.

Soma pouted, "But I just wanted to be nice and introduce myself."

"Then you should have waited until class ended," Ciel shot back quickly, though she knew she wouldn't have allowed him to then either.

"I don't allow talking in my classroom, Ciel," her aunt called, snapping the girl's attention to the front of the classroom.

She flashed an apologetic smile, "Sorry, Aunt Ann. It won't happen again."

Ciel could feel the shocked looks she earned, but she brushed them aside and continued to stare straight forward. This had not been the impression she had wanted to leave the first day at her new school with. Staring the third month into the new year was bad enough, staring the third month in a highly competitive school in London was another entirely. She had to prove herself, which wouldn't be hard with a mind like hers, but any scenes like this one would degrade her image no matter how flawless her grades were.

She sighed angrily, leaning heavily into her raised palm as she propped her elbow onto the smooth surface of the desk. Normally she was the head of the class, the student everyone knew listened and got the perfect scores, but it looked as if everything would be different this time around. Something felt different this time. She wasn't sure whether it was just a typical reaction of first day nervousness or if it was something else entirely.

The rest of the class drew on like any other she'd ever had, even though it was a bit odd for her to hear the lesson delivered by her relative. Her Aunt Ann was always rather knowledgeable in the study of the body, once even having gone to school to become a doctor, but instead changed her direction at the last minute to teach it instead. Ciel listened as well as she could and took down as many notes as she could in the margins of her blank notebook. By the time the bell rang to dismiss class and call an end to the school day, she had a lengthy two and a half pages of short handed notes. Ciel glanced over them quickly, before stuffing them into her bag and shouldering it.

Of course Soma took this as a chance to continue conversing with her.

"So Ciel, what club do you plan on joining?" He asked, appearing perkily besides her as she tried to make her get away.

Ciel held back the urge to groan. At this school it was mandatory that all students joined at least one club. She hadn't forgotten about it since the day it had been mentioned to her and no amount of time had given her the pleasure of warming up to the idea. If it had been up to her, she would have not joined any school functions.

"I'm not sure," she responded simply. "None of them have interested me so far."

"Oh... Then perhaps you should join-," Soma began excitedly.

"What is there anyway, Agni?" Ciel turned to ask the other Indian, cutting Soma off before he could even think about recruiting her into any club with him.

Agni gave a friendly smile, "I'm not sure myself, but there's a list hanging in the entrance on the student activity board."

Ciel nodded, accepting this answer as being fair enough. She would have to look at that soon, before the head master hunter her down and forced her into one. She shuddered at the idea of which random, and plausibly girly, club she might find herself placed into should she procrastinate.

"What happened to your hand?" She suddenly asked, her eyes drawn to the back of the bandaged hand Agni wore.

He looked down at it, before glancing back up with a warm smile. It was Soma who answered her question though.

"Agni is the school's best boxer! Some say it's because he'd involved in illegal street fights, but I know better! He's recieved the blessed hand from our goddess!"

Ciel blinked slowly. "Blessed...hand?"

He nodded eagerly, pointing a finger at her noise as if to make a statement, "Agni's hand gives him the strength to fight off even demons! It's truly a divine gift that he only uses for good. It's why he is the champion boxer for the third year in a row!"

Ciel gave a breathy laugh, stepping back from the excitable boy, "But it can't truly be bless. That's impossible."

Soma frowned, "Who's to say it is?"

"Anyone with any sense," she stated, rolling her eyes.

Soma's face flinched, but Agni placed a hand on the other's shoulder, gaining a smile from the dark haired boy.

"Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs, my friend," Agni explained, looking from Soma to Ciel.

Soma seemed to maul over this piece of wisdom his friend gave him. His face scrunched up in thought for a long moment, before it relaxed into one of his infamous grins. Ciel nearly wished the frown back in that moment. At least that one had been less enthusiastic then this one. She felt almost suffocated by al the excitement that seemed to be radiating from within him.

"I suppose you're right, Agni!" He exclaimed, before roughly grabbing Ciel's arm. "Now we should escort Ciel here to the board so she can find her club!"

She barely had time to take in a breath before Ciel found herself being yanked down the hall at a break neck run. It was impossible for her to keep completely upright, much less try to object to being dragged through the crowd of lingering students; some turning to stare after them as Soma pulled Ciel by her arm.

He stopped suddenly, causing Ciel to tumble forward. She caught herself, before turning to flare at him. It would've done some good had he at least warned her that was was going to make such a short stop. But then again that didn't sound very much like the boy from what she was seeing.

Brushing back a few stray slate curls that had been flown forward thanks to Soma, she looked to see the cause of their screeching halt. The board was still a good five feet in front of them, but before it stood a girl with a head full of blonde spirals. She must have heard them, for as soon as Ciel spotted her she turned to look back at them.

Two oddly familiar emerald orbs blinked slowly at their appearance, before they were accompanied by a large smile.

"You must be Ciel!" She cried, flinging herself at Ciel for a crushing hug.

Ciel gave a small noise of protest, before all the air came rushing out of her lungs from the force of her arms wrapping themselves around her torso. It seemed like her aunt wasn't the only one trying to suffocate her today.

"I'm Liz Middleford, but everyone calls me Lizzy," she giggled excitedly, making Ciel want to reach for the nearest sharp object and end herself right there and then.

Lizzy pulled away a bit, her smile never fading, "Oh and aren't you just adorable! I didn't believe Miss Druless, when she told me her niece was so cute! You look like one of those pretty porcelain dolls!"

Ciel forced a smile onto her face, "Aunt Ann told you of me? Sadly, she hasn't done the same for me."

Lizzy just beamed brightly, "Well that doesn't matter! We will still be the best of friends!"

Ciel couldn't help the automatic reaction of her eyes growing larger by a fraction of an inch.

"But we have barely met," she protested.

"That doesn't matter, silly," the girl giggled. "We'll have plenty of time to get to know one another better. But that will have to be another time, at the moment I have a cheer meeting! It was nice finally getting to meet you, Ciel!"

She waved excitedly before disappearing at a cheerful run around the corner of the building. Once she was out of sight, Ciel gave a small sight of relief. If she had thought Soma was cheery a moment ago, then Lizzy was an energy drink personified.

"She seems nice, right, Agni?" Soma asked, reminding Ciel that they were still there.

She didn't tune in for the other's response as she leaned forward to read the board. The quicker she choose the faster she could get out of this mad house disguised as a school. Her finger traced down the list, followed by sapphire eyes as she scanned over the names of clubs and sports trying to find something suitable enough.

"Culinary... dance... theater... yearbook," she grimaced as she mumbled the list aloud to herself.

Her finger froze mid-way down the page as a smile worked it's way onto her face. Perhaps joining a club wouldn't be all too terrible. At least this was something she could at least excel at and crush any competition.

"What did you choose, Ciel?" Soma asked eagerly, appearing over her shoulder.

His eyes scanned the words written right over where her finger had stopped in it's browsing. Slowly confusion worked it's way onto his dark features as he continued to stare at it.

"Chess?" He questioned, the undeniable confusion leaking its way into his voice. "Is that really something you find interesting, Ciel?"

Ciel smirked, brushing a curl off her shoulder smugly, "Of course."

"Can you even play?"

She nodded, but he continued his rant as if he hadn't noticed.

"Because those people take their club seriously, Ciel. If you can't play then you might as well wish yourself to be dead-."

"I can play perfectly well," she snapped, tired of his warnings. "I'm not incompetent."

His mouth came shut with a click as he paused for a moment to look her over skeptically. Ciel quirked a brown challengingly as she jutted out her chin by a fraction of an inch, meeting his dark eyes with her own annoyed gaze. She was not about to be looked down upon because she was female or because she looked a certain way.

Recognizing the resolve in her face, he sighed dramatically and ran a hand roughly through his hair. "Well I guess that means we should escort you to the room. The meet every Tuesday and Thursday after classes end."

This was a reasonable enough request, seeing as she didn't know where the classroom was and the chances of her finding it on her own were slim to none. She could deal with using his kindness as a way of gains. At least this time it didn't cost her a dislocated arm.

"This is it, but Ciel-," he began to protest once more, before she quickly cut him off as she shoved the classroom door open.

Five pairs of eyes looked up upon their entrance. Surprise changed into amusement as one of the boys stood up and approached with an arrogant smirk working its way onto his thin lips. Ciel met his expression with a blank stare, fighting to keep the annoyance inside from flaring up. He would have been handsome, like the others behind him, but something about his just screamed bastard. His attitude washed any form of attraction away, the same for the boys sitting behind him at the single table laid with chess sets. If she had been there for any other reason, Ciel wouldn't have tolerated their presence for another moment. They disgusted her already.

"If you're looking for the photography club, it's the next class down," he chuckled, leaning against the doorframe so that he towered over Ciel's petite 5'3. "But you're welcome to watch, we'd enjoy your company."

Ciel refrained from rolling her eyes as he all but purred the last words, though the particular sound he made was probably less than what he had intended it to be. His voice sounded more like rough bark than smooth velvet.

"I'd like to join actually," she stated.

Her declaration was followed by a series of snickers from the table. She barely batted an eye at them, if she played the pawns right this would her checkmate in the end.

"Ciel, you-," Soma began once more, but she waved a hand to keep him quiet.

"You?" The boy snickered. "Are you serious?"

"Very," she added a small smile, before batting her lashes prettily. Near ready to puke at her own actions. "You won't deny me at least one game to prove myself, would you?"

He blinked slowly, before his face composed itself into another smug smile, "Well I'm sure one game won't hurt, but if you lose we need payment in returning darling."

A smirk worked its way up her lips, "A bet?"

"It you win, we let you join. If you lose," he grinned back cheekily. "We get to make one request of you."

Ciel folded her arms across her small chest as she threw her chin up arrogantly.

"I accept."

* * *

><p><em>AN: So no Sebastian this chapter :( sorry. But he's coming in soon, I believe it's the chapter following ch 3. I'm not going to lie, the way he comes in isn't going to be rainbows and sunshine- that just wouldn't make sense- it's not going to be anything terrible because I'm not fond of writing that kind of thing. I'll include a warning in the next chapter if it's anything too bad (which I doubt), but I might just even cut it off and have you let your imagination fill in the blank between chapter 3 and 4. _

_Another question I'm going to answer before I stop, Soma and Agni? No, well not really...They're reincarnations, much like Lizzy and Madame Red. This will be explained more in depth when Sebastian steps in. Until then,_

_~Nera_


	3. Ch 3 London's Cats

**A/N:**_ So I changed the view on this fic, it's no longer in first anymore. I feel more comfortable writing in third person so I believe I'll continue using that for this. I've gone back and re-uploaded the first two, changing them to third person view (so unless you've read the story before this point this doesn't effect you much)._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Three<strong>

"Checkmate."

The room feel silent as Ciel sat back in the chair she'd been so comfortably seated in, leaning her chin arrogantly into the palm of her raised left hand as it rested on the armrest. The faces around the table were worth the quick glance at each one of them. Apparently showing up the club president was more of a feet than she'd originally assumed.

She chuckled internally at the thought.

"Ciel, that was amazing!" Soma exclaimed, jumping up from behind her.

She brushed the compliment off with a breezy way of her hand. Adding the embellishment of a false yawn, she stood up and gave the table a last once over. None of the chess club members had moved so much as a muscle from their spots as they remained staring at the chess board which held the black queen standing in position before the once proud white king.

The perfect insult, she thought smugly.

"Perhaps I should find another club after all, Soma," she stated in a bored tone, garnishing her statement with another false yawn. "This game wasn't terribly entertaining after all."

The sounds of chairs scraping against the floor sounded behind her, causing Ciel's lips to twitch upwards as she fought back a grin. She kept her back to them until she heard the clearing of a throat, only then did she turn around with a slightly coy look on her face.

"Yes?" She asked innocently.

The president of the club, ran a hand through his hair, "Well we were thinking... I mean, after seeing you obvious skill, we've decided to reconsider your membership."

Ciel gave a snort, drawing the room's attention completely to her. "Unfortunately, I've taken back my offer of membership. It was a one time offer, which you failed to accept in a timely fashion. Now if you'll excuse me I have other places to be."

Without giving them time to react any further, she spun around on her heels and strutted from the room with Soma and Agni closely flanking her. The two boys wore the largest grins on their faces, especially the dark haired boy. Ciel shook her head in amusement at the expression, if anyone should have been wearing such a smug look it should have been herself- though she would never allow herself to wear such an idiotic grin in private much less before the public eye.

"That was amazing!" Soma repeated once more as the group found themselves cutting through the student parking lot and to the street side where people were minding their own business as they traveled through the city.

"It was alright."

"But you put them in their places!" He exclaimed.

Ciel sighed, looking over at the clock on display in the shop window directly across the street. The two iron arms rested threateningly on the large two and six, earning a low swear from the slate haired girl.

"I'm sorry, I would love to continue with this discussion, but I really do have somewhere to be. Good bye."

She gave the pair a small way and began to back away slowly. Her escape was cut off when Soma's tanned hand wrapped itself around her arm, jerking her back to a sudden halt.

"Hey, if you need a ride Agni would be more than happy to drive you where ever," Soma offered.

The blood in Ciel's cheeks drained away slowly and she quickly squashed the boys' hopes with a shake of her head, sending her curls out in each direction with the rough movement of her head. She could not, would not, degrade herself by allowing someone to see where she was going.

"Thanks, but I'll be alright," she rushed to get the words out. "It's just around the corner anyway."

Soma opened his mouth to protest, but Ciel was already ten feet down the side walk offering the two boys a small wave before she disappeared down the next block. Once out of sight she sighed and stepped out into the street to hail a cab. Usually she never resorted to taking public transportation, it only served to waste money, but today she was running behind schedule and there was no way she'd be able to walk the thirty or so blocks and still get there in time.

A black cab pulled up to the curve and she quickly slide in, barking the address to the drive as she slammed the door shut behind her. The male nodded and sensing the rush she was in, quickly sped into the city traffic.

Ciel sat back quietly running a hand through her hair, mussing it into a messy but alluring look. The city of London streaked by in a blur of shapes and colors, that Ciel paid little mind to. She'd seen it all before and it was nothing she couldn't live without seeing again. Just a bunch of people and old buildings.

The blur quickly came back into crisp clarity once more. Ciel looked up at the small street side shop. It, like much of the city, was dingy and worn looking. The windows blacked out with thick red drapes made the place both suspicious and tempting, but it was the letters drawn in a loopy cursive that made the biggest impression.

_London's Cats_.

Ciel's mood instantly turned sour at the name and she roughly shoved the sum of cash she thought the driver deserved to him, before slipping out the cab and walking up the front steps to the shop. The brass nob on the door didn't offer her much comfort as she turned it and slipped inside the building.

The place was empty, only just preparing for the evening events. Black iron chairs were still upturned on the glass tables they belonged to and the main stage at the back of the room was still unlit. The usual dim lights were completely off, allowing only the scare light peeking in through the cracks in the curtains to light the room. The expanse of the bar wasn't missed, nor was the female manning it as she wiped the surface clean. Noticing Ciel in the entrance she spared the girl a smile, before returning to her work.

Even without being in full swing the place felt high end and seductive.

"Heiress, I was wondering when you'd finally show up," a light voice chuckled from behind her.

Ciel jolted and turned around slowly, facing the chinese man with a grimace.

"Sorry a couple of fools kept me longer than necessary," she stated, a scowl forming on her lips.

The man grinned, "How unlike you to allow that."

She sighed, rolling her eyes, "Well I'm here now."

"I bet he was a hassle," the man said with a smirk.

Ciel jumped in surprise, eyebrows finding their place high up on her forehead. "You know him?"

The man grinned, "Of course."

Suspicion settled in and Ciel turned to him with a dry voice, "You don't know, do you?"

"No, nothing," the chinese man grinned broadly.

Ciel sighed, shaking her head at her employer, "Forget I even bothered, Lau."

She didn't even know why she had even asked if Lau had known Soma, knowing her employer she should have seen the answer coming. He always liked to act in the loop, an annoying habit that kept Ciel constantly vexed with him. If another job that paid better was offered she'd gladly leave this place to take it and though she had plenty of money for her not to work, she had enough pride to want to sustain herself with her own work rather than relay on money earned by others.

Without realizing it, Ciel had walked herself into the dressing room in the back. The lights here were bright and welcoming, creating an atmosphere Ciel much preferred to the front of the small restaurant. On the right and back side walls there were row after row of vanities built into the stone walls with naked bulbs of light surrounding the expanse of mirrors. On the left side wall sat a bunch of little pockets with various personal affects, as well as a series of uniformed pieces of clothing.

By the time she entered the room was filled with loud chatter as other female employees giggled and talked to one another while in various states of undress. Ciel quietly ignored them and headed to her own designated vanity in the far back corner, dropping her backpack onto the table top roughly before she followed suit into the stool in front of the vanity. Rather dramatically, she dropped her head onto the surface with a small groan.

"It's not that bad, Ciel," a voice chuckled, followed but something soft being chucked at the girl's head.

Ciel lifted a hand slowly to pull the bundle off her head she dropped it onto her vanity before turning to the red head behind her. The young woman was dressed causally in a pair of jeans and a simple black-tee shirt, her reddish colored hair pulled back sloppily into a pair of short pigtails at the back of her head.

"I don't see how you can be so optimistic, Mey-Rin," Ciel muttered darkly. "After all you'll probably get groped by some drunk man at least once tonight."

Mey-Rin blushed a bright red.

"Ciel! Please don't talk like that!" She sputtered, quickly adjusting the thick glasses that sat on the bridge of her small nose.

Ciel just lifted her shoulders in a small shrug as she looked at the older female. Mey-Rin, she thought, was too innocent to work in a place like this. The older girl held no fear about showing a little leg, but as soon as she was forced to wear anything revealing too much bust she became a flustered mess.

Lifting the uniform off the table, Ciel allowed her sapphire eyes to roll over the standard uniform for the servers. Sighing, she reluctantly stood up and slipped out of her school uniform, quickly replacing it with her work clothes before anyone could see anything. The circular burn scar on the bottom edge of her rib cage was a painful reminder of her deceased parents and the car crash that claimed their lives; the one that should have taken her as well, but cruel fate decided to play a little longer with the slate haired teen. Ciel quickly made sure to cover it so that none of the other girls in the dressing room would notice the ugly mark that still was a reddish brown in color, even after two whole years.

Folding, her clothing up she placed them in the seat of the stool before turning to the mirror. The uniform was made to make the female wearing it look curvy and even someone with as subtle curves as Ciel, looked tempting. The quarter sleeved blouse was hugged tightly to her body by a skin tight vest of a dark gray cotton. The top three buttons on the blouse were taken off, revealing Ciel's small chest in the v-neck that the vest scooped just under to press upwards giving her chest the illusion of being much larger. Black shorts covered just past her butt, but not much else, and were just as suctioned tight as the top was. Black velvet ankle boots with five inch heels, gave the girl a boast of hight, though didn't make her nearly as tall as she wished she was.

The accessories are where the girl cringed both mentally and physically. The place wasn't called London's Cats for nothing. The servers and entertainers of the restaurant were adorned with cat-like additions of a pair of black fur ears and a long, soft black tail. Ciel hated cats, but she hated looking like one even more.

Wrapping her hands around to her back she carefully clipped the end of the tail to the belt loop at the back of her uniform, pulling the blouse over it to hide the attachment sight. The prop swung limply behind her with each small movement she made, brushing the back of her legs as she leaned forward to put on a simple layer of black eyeliner and clear lip gloss so her boss wouldn't get upset with her for going out 'naked' as he termed it.

"Our shift begins in two minutes, Ciel," Mey-Rin warned, as she slipped her own boots onto her feet.

"Yeah, yeah," Ciel muttered absentmindedly, as she rushed to slip on the fingerless lace gloves. She flexed her fingers, allowing the black lace to stretch around her small hands. "I'm nearly done."

Even as she said this, she lifted up her hair and yanked it into a loose side ponytail, allowing the various spiral curls and waves to blend together and fall over and around her right shoulder. Clipping the small cat ears into her hair, she deemed herself presentable enough for tonight's service.

"Lau wants you to take the front section tonight," Mey-Rin informed the girl with a giggle. "Said he needed you up front with the other pretty cats."

"Pervert," Ciel mumbled.

Mey-Rin giggled as she caught the disgruntled comment from the teenager's mouth. Distracted the older girl forgot to watch where she was headed, tripping over her own two feet as she missed the step down into the main section of the restaurant. Ciel caught the downwards motion with her eyes and reached out to grab hold of the other's hand to help balance her before she tumbled to the floor.

"Thanks Ciel! You just saved my neck there," she laughed uneasily, turning her gaze downwards as she fiddled with her thumbs.

Ciel sighed, "I only did it because I know Lau would force me to take over your tables as well."

Mey-Rin blushed darkly, but having known Ciel for over a year, she knew the girl only meant the comment partially. She might not have admitted it outright, but it was obvious that Ciel generally cared for the well being of others and had a strong sense of right from wrong.

" 'Ey, you two! The tables are startin' to fill up," a gruff voice called out to the two.

Ciel's eyes snapped the the male behind the bar. He stood out from the crowd, not only because he was the only male employee, but because he didn't look like he fit in with the seductive club scene the restaurant thrived on. The blonde looked just as gruff as his voice suggested. Short cropped hair and a slight hint of a bread on his jawline, gave him a rough untamed look. Ciel could easily imagine him as being straight from a war zone rather than manning the bar at a five star restaurant.

"F-for-forgive me," Mey-Rin stuttered.

Ciel rolled her eyes and took a seat lazily on the bar stool nearest to the bartender. She shifted in her seat to glance at restaurant around her. It was completely different from when she'd first walked in. The atmosphere was thrumming with barely tapped energy and the low hum of multiple conversation was just barely heard over the music spilling from the multiple hidden speakers. Couples, friends, and large groups of people found themselves seated together and being served by the restaurant's cats as the night began to reach full swing.

"My section hasn't been occupied yet," she stated lazily, the words leaving her lips in a playful purr. "Perhaps I can bride a shot from the bartender before it does?"

Bard made eye contact with the sixteen year old, before grunting, "Nice try, but not on my watch."

Ciel faked a pout, but shrugged as she watched a group of men being escorted to a table in her section. "Looks like my time is up. I'll be seeing you soon enough."

She slipped from the seat and sauntered off, leaving the other two employees staring after her with gaping mouths. Having seen her outside work, they could hardly believe Ciel was the same girl. She acted the part of the perfect cat, temping and seductive in ever sense of the word, during her shift but outside work she was apathetic and often uncaring. The difference was amazing, but they could only assume the girl was one hell of an actress.

"How may I help you gentlemen tonight?" Ciel purred, fighting back the need to puke as she looked over the table of young men, each probably no older than their late twenties. She could only image that they were going to be complete wasted by the end of the night and hitting on every server in sight. It was how it usual went when a group of young men entered looking for a show.

Two of the men in the group chuckled and elbowed their buddy in the center of them, who's cheeks were tinged with a slight pink. Catching the coloring, Ciel rose an eyebrow questioningly at the group not bothering to hide her curiosity; she was a cat tonight after all.

"Our friend here is getting married in the morning, so we wanted to have a little fun with him tonight," the one of the left said.

"But," the one on the right began. "He was too reluctant to go to a club so we brought him here after hearing some rumors. Care to tell us if they're true?"

Ciel smirked, enjoying the blush coloring the cheeks of the man between the two. She pitied him for his choice of friends, but knew that whatever girl he was getting married tomorrow was lucky indeed. He seemed genuine in character and by the blush painting his cheeks, completely innocent.

"They're probably not, we don't run a strip club in here," she explained, keeping her voice light and humorous. "So what may I get you to drink?"

The night continued at much the same pace; receiving multiple orders, placing them, and then delivering them while remaining perfectly in character the entire time. It was tiresome and took its toll on Ciel to keep a coy smile on her face for each and every customer that entered. She was only relieved every once in a while when a couple entered, ones who were too wrapped up in themselves to offer her much trouble. By ten o'clock her feet were aching from being pinched by the small boots on her feet and her head throbbing from all the background noise.

She dropped herself onto the only available bar stool, removing a boot to massage her sore foot as she leaned back against the cool granite counter top. She had a ten minute break while another cat took care of her tables and she planned to make good use of it.

"Bard, water," she huffed, throwing her head back onto the counter and giving him a demanding stare.

The bartender chuckled and slid a glass of iced water across the surface and to her waiting hand. She didn't wait a second before lifting it up to her lips and downing the glass in a matter of milliseconds; the icy water relieving her hot body by just a fraction.

"Thanks," she sighed, placing the glass back on the counter.

The bartender chuckled, "Lau's workin' you hard tonight."

Ciel nodded tiredly, "Probably because he knows I won't complain about it unlike the others."

Bard nodded, "He'd be right about that."

Ciel grumbled something incoherently under her breath that caused the bartender to chuckle.

"I'd like a shot of the strongest you got!"

Bard sighed and snuffed his cigarette out in an ash tray, before quickly replacing it with another. "Eh, looks like I've got to go. You be careful, alright?"

Ciel nodded, sliding away from the bar as soon as the bartender disappeared. She had another good hour before her shift was over and she was free to go home and right about now, nothing was sounding better than just that.

"Oh Ciel! I'm so glad I ran into you," Mey-Rin gushed, grabbing a hold of Ciel's arm as the younger girl was headed back to her section of tables.

Eyeing her quickly filling up section, Ciel sighed, "What is it?"

"I hate to ask this of you, but I don't have a choice. I just spilled a tray of drinks on myself and-and you know how everything is about appearances...so I was wondering if you could cover one of my tables while I change quickly in my spare?"

Ciel nearly groaned, but held it back at the last minute behind pursed lips. Seeing the reluctance in the other girl's face Mey-Rin pouted out her bottom lip in a small pleading pout. "Please, it's just one and I'll be right back," she begged.

Ciel surrender with a reluctant nod, "Alright, but just for a few minutes. Don't come back too late."

Mey-Rin beamed brightly and gave the girl a crushing hug, "Thank you! Thank you!"

"Shouldn't you be going?" Ciel gasped, using the last of her breath.

Mey-Rin jumped back, blushing, "Sssorry! I'll be going now! It's the one in the back corner!"

The other disappeared into the crowd causing Ciel to sigh. Better get this over with quickly, she thought sourly as she heading in the direction the other told her. The specific table Mey-Rin meant was the one corner cast in shadows that laid at the very front of the restaurant. It was the cheapest tables to book and the easiest to get, because the ones closest to the stage were always on demand and reserved months in advanced. The burlesque like shows they put on display every night were quite popular and Ciel had a feeling that this might have more than a little to deal with the fact that the entertainers like Ranmao were never afraid to show much more than a lot of skin in a variety of erotic dance numbers.

Approaching the table, Ciel placed a hand on her cocked hip and gave a dry stare at wall over the table.

"How may I help you this evening?" She purred, the words sounding over used from the amount of times she'd used them this evening.

"I'm still deciding."

Ciel jolted as a warm sensation spread over her chest and spread throughout her body, causing the skin on her arms to prickle. Something about that voice...she'd heard it before, she was sure of it. Deep in her soul she knew the velvety sound that could even rival the gentle rumble of a cat's purr.

Slowly, she moved her gaze to the man seated at the table. In the dim lighting she could only make out simple aspects of his features; dark hair, a strong jawline, pale skin, and two orbs of a deep brown. She caught herself staring into those eyes, before blushing and looking away.

"Alright...Is there anything that sparks your interest then?" She mumbled quickly after clearing her throat.

A smirk pulled at the man's lips, something about it seemed arrogant but not at all like the ones that decorated the faces of the chess club members that afternoon. This one seemed almost devilish in intentions, hiding a hidden agenda and making the skin on Ciel's arms crawl. She didn't know why, but he seemed dangerous just as much as he was handsome.

He grinned, "Yes, but I believe I will hold off on my decision for the moment."

Something about the way he said those words deeply unsettled Ciel. Though they were just discussing his order, she felt as if they meant something entirely different.

Forcing herself to keep control of herself, she nodded stiffly, "Very well."

With those words she excused herself from the strange male and slipped back to the safety of the lit area surrounding the stages and the type of customers that acted like she expected them to. There was a safety in that knowledge, but she couldn't push the man very far from her thoughts. Something about him was nudging at the back of her mind like a prodding finger trying to get her to remember something.

She shook her head and muttered to herself, "Mey-Rin can handle her own customers."

* * *

><p>Sighing, Ciel switched back into her uniform gratefully. She never thought she'd be glad to be back in it, but the pleated skirt covered a lot more than the shorts had. She sighed once more and adjusted the white sweater so that it feel comfortable over her petite frame.<p>

"You headed home, Ciel?" Mey-Rin asked, as she came into the dressing room.

Ciel looked up and nodded, "Yes, I'm about to leave right now."

"Do you need a ride?" She asked. "Cause Bard is driving and I'm sure he wouldn't mind taking you home as well."

Ciel shook her head, standing straight up, "No. I can't ask him to go that far out of his way."

"But you live just around the cor-," the red-head began.

"I moved, remember?"

"Oh," she blushed. "Be careful then, alright?"

Ciel scowled, but nodded, "I'll be fine."

She shouldered her bag over one shoulder and gave the other girl one last parting glance before leaving out the back entrance. The back alleyway was dimly lit, shadows casting over every corner hidden from the one lamp built into the building. The orange light only reached out about three feet in each direction, leaving the rest in blackness. Ciel shivered, maybe she should have accepted a ride or at least an escort.

"I'm being stupid," she scoffed at herself and hopped down the steps.

Hardened eyes narrowed up at the direction she was headed, where she could see the clearly lit street side which would light up even brighter every time a car shot by. It was only about twenty or so feet away at most before she would be out in a better area, not sufficient enough time to get herself in danger- or at least what she tried to convince herself of.

She failed to notice the dark shadows until it was two late.

"Mmph!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** _Sebastian made his short little appearance in this chapter. Next chapter is where he really comes in, I promise._

_Quick answering of one question. The London's Cats? It's just a restaurant, not a strip club or whatever else kind of kinky place might come to mind. I came up with it as sort of having a theme and using Lau as the owner/manager, I kind of figured 1) all/most of the workers would need to be female- after all it is Lau- 2) there needed to be some sort of seductive nature to the place and 3) I wanted the theme to have some ties with the manga/anime (being that Sebastian has a cat fetish and how symbolically they can mean many things). Mainly those are the reasons for the choice and I still stand next to them._

_Also this chapter was incredibly long, like 11 or 12 pages though I forgot the exact number, either way it was looooooooong. Hope you enjoyed though._

_~Nera  
><em>


	4. Ch 4 Devil's Desired

**Chapter Four**

The air hissed in and out of Ciel's lungs, each breath painfully taken. She clenched her jaw to prevent herself from hissing out in pain. Everything hurt. Everything was raw. Everything was gone. Crystalized tears leaked out of her eyes as she damned her pride in that moment. She'd lost everything important anyway, why should she care for her pride as well?

Innocence, the word hurt to think of as she kept still with her back laid awkwardly half against the dirty asphalt and half on the side walk, the curb digging sharply into the small of her back. She'd lost that as well, she thought spitefully. The last thing she'd clung onto and prided herself in having when most girls were giving theirs away freely. Now that was gone from her as well, stolen away by a group of drunken bastards.

She clenched her fist momentarily forgetting the pain and ended up hissing out loud as a sharp pain shot up through her arm. Her back arched up off the ground as the pain grew to an intolerable level, before she slumped back down limply. Her spine collided harshly with the curb, making her cry out. Yet for all she had screamed, no one had heard or at least no one had come to her rescue.

Ciel supposed that this was how she was meant to die. Left here, sitting in a mixture of her blood and dirt, completely alone. It was a terrible fate, one that suited the Phantomhive name. None of the deaths in her family were ever peaceful from what she knew. She'd been stupid to have thought herself an exception to this unspoken rule.

Death was avoiding her though, she thought bitterly. It was constantly dancing around her, spinning within touching distance only to leap away at the last moment. Ciel had no way of knowing how much time had elapsed since she'd been dumped down onto the ground like some doll, played with and then forgotten, but it had seemed like an eternity. Assuming it was a few hours at most, she would have believed she'd be dead by now with the way her multiple cuts kept oozing crimson. Life should have faded long since now, but it cruelly was clinging onto that sliver of a thread.

She closed her eyes and allowed a small breath to leave her lungs slowly. It hurt, but the pain grounded her mind. It kept her sane and she wanted to remain that way until she met her end. If she was going to die Ciel wanted to do so with dignity.

Her mind began to grow fuzzy, the edges disappearing in a haze. A small, haunted smile played on her lips at least the end wasn't too far away now. The pain would fade with death, perhaps the only pleasant thought about it.

"And here I had thought our official meeting would have gone so much more pleasantly," a smooth voice sighed, causing Ciel's eyes to snap wide open.

Ignoring the pain, Ciel tilted her head to the side to see the speaker. Dark brown eyes and the hint of a smirk met her gaze. She recognized him immediately. The man from Mey-Rin's table. Something was different than before, but she couldn't place her finger on it as her mind worked through something more important first. His reaction was off. The sight of her bloodied body and mangled clothing should have sent any person screaming for help or calling for the police, but this man remained calm and collected. It didn't make sense, unless...

She scowled and turned her head away, the pain ignored once more.

"If you are here to add to my pain, just get on with it," she snapped icily. "Don't mock me by playing around."

"How lewd," came the surprising response. "I would never lower myself to such activities. I simply came to collect that which I lost many years ago."

Ciel's curiosity spiked, but she said nothing.

A shadow cast over her and she became increasingly aware of the male's presences as he kneeled besides her broken body. She winced when his fingers wrapped around her chin, gently moving it so that she was forced to look him directly in the eyes. She opened her mouth in shock at what she saw, truly wondering if the blood lose had finally gotten to her mind.

Crimson eyes, brighter than the blood that pooled on the ground around her. Diamond shaped pupils like a predatory cat's stared down at her hungrily, threatening to swallow her entire existence. She gasped, forgetting about the pain until it hit her like a two ton trunk. Instinctively she curled inwards, only hissing when that too caused more pain.

The man sighed, "Such a pitiful sight you've become."

"Sh-Sh..Shut...up," she hissed, clenching her jaw when more pain washed over her.

The man said nothing, instead brushing aside her bangs so that both her blue eyes glared up at him angrily. Ciel watched his face closely, watching as clear disappointment flashed across the planes of his pale face after he finished examining her face closely. She wondered what exactly he had been expecting to find there, but didn't bother asking. From the short interactions she'd already had with him she knew the answer would either be avoided or would be more trouble than much else.

"It looks like I'll have to go about this the long way," he mumbled to himself, seeming upset.

"For what?" Ciel ground out.

The man's eyes met hers and she nearly choked on her shock. Real hunger lurked in the depth of those soulless eyes. A type of hunger she didn't believe she could comprehend, nor did she ever want to.

"You-You...You're not...," she trailed off, paling ten shades.

Sharp fangs... A purple star... A contract... Black tail coats... Blood... Ciel reached up, clenching her fingers around her scalp as images she'd never seen before flashed through her mind. A thousand different thoughts, a thousand different memories, none of them her own. She gasped, as familiar voices and faces flickered through like clips of a movie.

"Demon," she whispered, her face and voice blank.

The man chuckled, "So your soul hasn't completely forgotten, young master. How interesting."

Ciel clutched a the man's jacket, forgetting her pain completely, "What the hell are you talking about?"

The man, no demon, smirked down at her; revealing sharp fangs behind his lips. "I shall explain everything to you soon, but time happens to be running out for you and I have no intentions of letting you slip through my fingers yet again."

Ciel scowled, but was soon forced to swallow back a scream as his unused arm came under her knees and he lifted her up. Her fingers clenched in his black jacket, the force behind her grip turning her knuckles white.

"Put me down! You bastard!" She yelled.

He chuckled, "I'm getting you help. Do you not want it?"

She froze, "Why would you help me?"

He grinned, dropping his face down so that it hovered only centimeter's away from hers. "I already told you, didn't I? I have no intentions of allowing you to slip through my fingers like last time."

"What does that even mean?" She growled.

"You'll be finding out soon enough," he promised, cradling her against his chest as he carried her away from what she had begun to think would be her place of death.

"I...,"she swallowed hard. "I want to form a contract."

The words left her lips so naturally no one would have ever thought she had no idea what she was asking. Ciel bit her lip after they left, surprised she'd said the words that had echoed in her mind. The voice had been familiar, she'd heard it in some of her dreams before; a tortured and prideful voice that usual echoed with some form of command or demand. This request surprised her to where she actually spoken the words, but it appeared she'd said just the right thing.

The demon stopped abruptly in his tracks, just a foot away from the mouth of the alley. His blazing eyes fell onto her face, searching her eyes for the answer to his unspoken question. It was almost as if he wanted to be sure she meant what she had said or as if he was looking to see if she even knew what she had said, but her careful expression showed nothing.

He sighed, tearing his gaze away from her, "This is not the place for that. Give me a moment to get us someplace else and get you in a better state."

Before Ciel could even think of opening her mouth to snap back, her whole world was thrown out of proportion. She gasped, the breath ripped right from her throat as everything around her was reduced to a blurred mess that didn't even offer any distinction of shapes or objects. Ciel screwed her eyes shut against the sight, the natural human reaction of fear settling itself in the pit of her stomach as she clung to the man's jacket for dear life.

"You can open your eyes now," he chuckled, the sound echoing in Ciel's ear as she dared to crack an eye open.

"Don't ever do that again," she hissed as she finally dared to open both eyes when she was sure that everything was still once more.

He smirked, "Are you assuming that I shall stick around to attempt that again?"

Ciel scowled and muttered, "You were the one who said you weren't going to let me get away."

The demon smirked.

Ciel eyes moved past him to the building in front of them, where confusion settled into her features. A small scowl tugged at the corners of her full lips as she moved her eyes back to the man.

"Why are we here?" She snapped, not bothering to even ask how he knew where she lived in the first place.

"Because we need to get you some care," he stated bluntly.

She scowled, "There are hospitals for that."

"I can offer you better care than any human doctor can."

"I highly doubt that," she scoffed.

He smirked, "Have I forgotten to tell you that I am one hell of a doctor?"

Ciel scowled, but it quickly turned into a hiss of pain when she was jostled too much as the male crossed the threshold and tried to shut the door. He instantly looked regretfully and gave her a quick once over, which she waved away with a snort.

"If you're going to care for me then get on with it already," she snapped, bitting her lip as another bout of pain attacked her from her lower ribs.

He nodded and before she could blink she was in her own room, being placed delicately onto the blankets as if she would break from being set down too fast; which, considering her state, she was probably likely to do. Once on the blankets she followed the man's actions with her eyes, watching as he quickly shed his coat and tossed it onto one of the covered chairs. She was surprised to find that underneath the black coat was a neatly ironed button down shirt. Her sapphire eyes followed him as he quickly rolled the sleeves up to his elbows.

"Do you have any first aid equipment?" He asked, turning to glance back at her.

Ciel shook her head, "I just moved in. If there is any it would be where any pervious owner would have kept it. But-."

He was gone before she could finish and Ciel just refrained from sighing in annoyance, knowing that it would only cause her more pain. Within a few seconds he was back with what looked like a few rolls of gauze wrap and some other unidentified objects. Ciel watched him carefully as he placed the things on the bed.

"Can you sit upright?" He asked.

Ciel rose an eyebrow.

He sighed, "I was hoping that you were in a better state then that."

Before she could reply with a sarcastic comment, she found herself being propped up by a soft pillow. This time she did gasp and was rewarded with the pain that had somehow been evaded during the course of him moving her. She didn't question how he managed it, something just told her that nearly everything was possible for this creature.

"I'm going to have to remove the rest of your clothes in order to get to the wounds," he stated.

Despite everything that had happened to her, Ciel blushed a faint pink. "If you have to then just get on with it."

He nodded, before removing the shredded remains of her school blouse and skirt; the sweater having already been torn to bits before she was picked up by him. He worked quietly, never once uttering a word as he cleaned the multiple cuts on her torso and back with a gentle hand. After the original feeling of embarrassment, Ciel felt nothing more as he tended to her. Evening being half naked before the man she could tell that he gaze was strictly examining, looking for the wounds that needed the most tending to rather than paying any attention to her body, which was a lot more than she could say for some doctors out there.

"What's your name?" She asked softly, staring up at the ceiling with a blank expression.

He paused, before wrapping the gauze carefully around her ribs. "It was Sebastian Michaelis, but I have no name now."

Ciel frowned, "How come?"

"I become whatever my master chooses for me," Sebastian explained as he finished wrapping the gauze tightly and moved onto wrapping another spot. "But Sebastian is a name I have become fond of, so I use it sparingly from time to time."

Ciel nodded, "I suppose that makes sense."

They elapsed into silence as he finished his work. Sebastian stood up once he was completed and quickly went about collecting the things spread about the bed. As he picked up the shredded remains of the shirt and skirt, he gave a disgruntled sigh at the sight of the stain they left on the bedspread.

"It appears that I'll have to replace that," he mumbled.

"Sebastian," Ciel called the demon's previous name, effectively gaining his attention. "About what we talked of earlier..."

Understanding flashed in his eyes and he placed everything down, before approaching her. He didn't stop until he hovered slightly her, a sinister grin creeping onto his face. "Is there something you want, Ciel?" He asked, his voice thickly laced with the hidden question.

She nodded, forcing herself to sit upright despite the shearing pain the movement caused. "I want to form a contract."

The grin widened.

"You do realize that something once lost may never be returned and that by accepting the terms of this contract you'll never be allowed in through the gates of heaven. Your soul will be damned to the deepest tier of hell once your life ceases."

Ciel nodded, "I do and I still accept the terms."

"So what is it that you desire?"

She didn't even miss a beat. "I want to revive the Phantomhive name and restore it to its former glory, as well as get the men who did this to me."

Sebastian's grin could've rivaled the cheshire cat's. "Then this contract is binding and when completed I shall be taking your soul as payment."

Ciel nodded.

"Now is there any particular place you wish to place the mark of our contract?"

"I don't care," she growled. "Place it wherever you please."

"Then we shall make it visible to everyone, so that they know of the sin you've committed," he chuckled darkly.

The silent night was broken by her scream as the devil placed his mark on the desire soul.

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><p><em><strong>AN:** I cannot express to you how much this chapter has become my favorite so far; it's actually one of the favorites I've written ever (fan fiction and original). Originally I was squeamish about writing it, but once I actually began to do so I couldn't stop. I love it in so many and it was a lot of fun to write- which is why it was completed so soon after that last update. Anyway I hope you guys enjoy it just as much as I did while I was writing it. Please review!_

_** -Nera**_


	5. Ch 5 A Devil Becoming

**Chapter Five**

"So if I understand this correctly, you were previously contracted to the Earl Ciel Phantomhive but lost his soul through some freak accident. This soul was reincarnated into me, so his soul is my soul and vice versa."

Ciel tried not to look tongue tied after she finished trying to sum up what Sebastian had spent the better half of the hour explaining to her. It was hard to grasp, especially with the haze still laying heavily on her mind from the events of last night, but she tried her hardest to understand what she could. She wanted to understand, even if this usually wasn't her type of thing to believe in. Ciel found she couldn't dispute it either, not with a demon staring at her from across the room.

"How does someone lose a soul to begin with?" She asked.

"By not collecting it in time," Sebastian gave a grim smile. "Usually a contractor meets their end by the hands of their demon and is consumed, but if something should end a contractor's life before this and the demon is unable to protect their master then there is a time alloted before the soul departs or is reaped."

Ciel frowned thoughtfully, "Once a soul is reaped, how does it come back?"

"Humans call the process reincarnation, but different beings have different names for it," he explained. "It's all basically the same thing; the soul is cleansed and placed in another body to relive life once more. This cycle repeats until the final judgement, where all your sins are placed before God to be made judgement on. Only those who have been consumed by demons are exempt from this and damned to hell without any judgement."

Ciel nodded, but something was irking her about his response. If souls were to be cleansed then wouldn't that mean she'd have no recollection of her previous life? And if that were so then why did she always get the feeling of familiarity, like she'd seen something or known someone before when she'd never encountered them in this life.

Knowing Ciel all too well, Sebastian sensed what she wasn't speaking.

"I have no idea why you have retained some of your memories. Within all right they should be all gone, but your soul seems to want to hang onto them."

Ciel sighed and lazed back, wincing slightly when her bad side came into contact with the headboard behind her. "And you, how long have you known I existed?"

Sebastian smirked, "Only until recently. I was looking out for your soul, planning to take claim of it before another demon could. It was by mere accident that I stumbled across you. At first I believed I was seeing what my mind wanted it to see- the uncanny resembles between my pervious young master and yourself is almost shocking- but when I was able to get a closer look at the restaurant I knew what, or rather, who you were."

Ciel chuckled softly, wincing when that caused her pain. "So you didn't think I'd come back as a Phantomhive?"

Sebastian looked thoughtful. "No, I don't believe I considered that outcome. Though I did stick close to this particular area. I suppose you could say I became attached to this place, which is entirely unusually for one of my kind."

"So it was you who started those rumors about that damned curse," Ciel muttered crossly.

Sebastian's eyebrows rose up his forehead. "Curse?"

Ciel sighed and shifted herself around on the bed so she was comfortable once more. "Apparently people have begun to believe that this chamber is cursed and that if anyone enters it they shall met a horrible fate."

Amusement glinted in the demon's eyes. "Oh? Have some stories been circulating?"

Ciel clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth in mild annoyance, "I should have known that you were the cause."

Sebastian chuckled, "Unfortunately, I'm afraid that I am only partially the cause of such stories. I do confess that I have had some dealings with a death or two involving the mansion, one such being a unlucky theft who tried to break in when I happened to be paying a visit to the mansion."

Ciel couldn't help the smirk that tweaked her lips up at the corners. "Even after the death of your master you remain ever faithful to him... How amusing."

Annoyance flickered in those deep brown eyes, the ones masquerading as belonging to an innocent human, but it was quickly pushed away from sight. "Shall I get you so more tea?"

Ciel followed the pointed gaze to the empty tea pot and cup, before nodding. She watched as Sebastian moved from his place by the window to pick up the tray carefully, before following his form as it disappeared out the door. Releasing a small sigh, Ciel allowed her body to sink down slowly into the plush pile of pillows. Her mind was racing with everything she'd just learned, the gears constantly turning in an effort to digest it all fully. It was an odd concept to think that she'd lived a pervious life before, one where she wasn't even of the same gender, but it fit everything she'd experienced prior to this perfectly. The familiarity, the sense of having know this before, the constant déjà vu; it all made sense now.

When Sebastian failed to return in his usually timely fashion, Ciel began drumming her fingers restlessly against her stomach that was heavy bandaged beneath the oversized button down shirt Sebastian had helped her into earlier this morning. Already she knew what to expect from him and lateness was uncharacteristic for the demon. She gave a sigh ladened with the weight of her annoyance, before it was cut short by a knock on her door.

A small frown pulled her brows downwards. Of all the trips he'd made from her room back and forth this morning, he hadn't once knocked or announced his entrance. Brushing her suspicions aside, Ciel struggled to sit upright or at least into a position where she wasn't lying completely flat.

"Enter," she called out before she took anymore time to think about it.

"Ciel! I demand to know why my niece has a unfamiliar man in her house with no supervision of any form!"

Ciel paled at the sharp voice that made it's presence known seconds before the vibrant red came into sight. Aunt Ann's face was set into a fierce look as she charged her way into Ciel's room, the red sweater dress adorning her body making the woman's stern face even stricter. Ciel opened and shut her mouth, but no words were utterable as her tongue's will died on her. She hadn't a clue what to say to her aunt to calm her or even begin to try and explain exactly who Sebastian was.

"If you'll allow me to explain," Sebastian cut in, earning a sharp glare from Ciel who laid every silent question about their current situation into that single loaded look.

"Shut it! I don't want to hear another word from that handsome mouth of yours," the red headed woman snapped effectively silencing the demon, before turning her attention to her niece. "Explain now, Ciel."

Ciel swallowed thickly, "I..."

"Oh God! Ciel...What happened to you?"

Ciel winced when her aunt had stepped close enough to notice the bruising, silently glad that the worst was covered and that the very worst was something that no one would ever know about- not even Sebastian, though she was sure he might suspect it. Still the dark bruises around her eyes and neck were enough to alarm anyone. They were turning a sick yellowish color around the edges, but inside were still a deep purplish-blue that appeared even harsher with the swelling. Her bottom lip was cut open with a jagged slice near the right corner and a light sprinkle of more cuts ran the length of her neck. A wad of cotton had been shoved against her left eye, held in place by four bandages; which was hidden under a fringe of long bangs.

"I was jumped on the way home last night," she mumbled softly, before wincing as her Aunt gently grabbed hold of her chin. "Sebastian found me and took me home so that I could clean the cuts."

Her aunt's red eyes swept over her face before she released Ciel's chin from her grasp. "Was this all the damage?"

The concern and mild look of horror in her aunt's eyes told Ciel all she needed to know about the unspoken question laying within her aunt's question and to the girl's dismay, she wasn't able to answer that one truthfully out loud. Ciel knew what she would come to face if she did. A face of pity and sympathy and the girl scorned the thought of receiving such useless emotions. She didn't want to be on the receiving end of pity, it was something someone felt for someone they thought was below them and Ciel would never allow herself to be belittled in anyone's eyes.

"Yes," she lied quietly.

The concern in her aunt's face faded significantly after her response and Ciel felt almost guilty for having lied to her, but she quickly reminded herself that she had to. She didn't want anyone to know just how far she'd fallen and how dirty she'd become.

"I'm glad you're alright then," her aunt smiled, before looking back at Sebastian who lingered in the doorway. "I don't know who or what you are to my niece, but I must thank you for having taken care of her."

Sebastian flashed a crooked smiled, "It was no problem, madame"

Ciel grimaced as she saw the mischievous sparkle shine in her aunt's eyes. She'd seen that look before and she knew exactly what thoughts caused it, which was exactly how she knew what her aunt would ask next.

"What exactly is your relationship with Ciel?"

Ciel face drained of blood. "Aunt Ann!"

Her aunt turned to smile widely at Ciel, "Oh hush dear, I want to hear this from his mouth."

The added wink only served to mortify Ciel all the more. Her gaze flickered from her aunt to Sebastian, who looked amused by the whole thing, and then back again. But before she was able to cut in before any disasters, there was yet another knock on the door before it burst open.

"Ciel! Where were you today?"

Ciel couldn't hold back her groan as the very last two faces she wanted to see today burst through the threshold of her room. Soma's dark eyes jumped straight to her, where he instantly directed his path before he was intercepted by Agni, who had automatically noticed the state Ciel was in.

"I was forced to take an absence," she stated emotionless, as she diverted her attention away from her aunt and to the idiot before her.

"Are you sick?" Soma asked, before his eyes widened as he truly took in the sight of her for the first time since entering the room. "Ciel, what happened to your face?"

Her face fell into a scowl, he was blunt as always in the way only an idiot could be.

"I fell," she lied, as she lifted up her fingers to gently message her temples. She really did not want to deal with this right now.

"But it looks like you got hit by a bus."

Ciel's face fell into a harsh scowl, "Thank you, I hadn't a clue as to my state."

Soma didn't recognize the sarcasm dripping heavily from Ciel's words and only smiled, before inviting himself onto the edge of her bed much to Ciel's disapproval. She narrowly avoided sighing as he babbled on about things she really didn't care about, though she was careful to at least appear interested if only to be polite and nothing more. Below the host smile her growing irritation at the boy simmered.

Instead of risking an explosion, she allowed her gaze to follow a certain head of raven hair that found itself near a head of bright scarlet. Ciel's eyes narrowed as she watched Sebastian lean in and exchange a few words with her aunt, who's eyes lit up by whatever was said. A frown pinched at her brows as she tried to catch some hint of what knowledge had been exchanged between the two beyond the new mischievous expression her aunt wore.

Her aunt cleared her throat, gaining everyone's attention. "Boys, you've seen Ciel now, but I believe it would be best that we leave her to rest."

Soma's face fell visibly, while Ciel's eyebrow twitched with annoyance.

"You brought these idiots with you!"

Her aunt only smiled brightly, "Oh Ciel, if only you had seen how concerned they were when you didn't show up for class today. I just had to take them along."

Ciel glowered darkly, but wisely held her tongue.

"Will you be in class tomorrow?" Soma asked, his voice slightly pleading.

Sighing, Ciel sat back and gave an airy reply. "If I feel up to it."

"Then I shall be seeing you tomorrow!" Soma exclaimed and before Ciel could stop him, threw his arms around her as he drew her into a crushing hug.

Ciel's mouth opened in a silent hiss of pain as she felt the throbbing in her bruised ribs flare up and render her motionless as she fought the urge to curl forward. One single sapphire eye filled with salty tears that weren't allowed to fall, but were nonetheless noticed by a pair of ever watching eyes.

A strong grip found itself on Soma's shoulder, pulling him back and rescuing Ciel from the crippling sensation.

"I apologize for breaking this up, but Ciel requires time to recover," the voice was polite and light on the surface, but even Soma flinched back at the tenor of warning lying in the tone; promising that if he continued something would be done.

Soma scowled up at Sebastian. "Who are you?"

Sebastian grinned, "Sebastian Michaelis."

"No, I mean who are you to tell me what Ciel wants and doesn't want?" Soma demanded, standing up to face Sebastian.

Ciel started to clear her throat to break anything up, but a girlish giggle beat her to it. In the doorway her aunt loosely covered her mouth with a pale hand. Removing her hand once she was sure she had everyone's attention, she smiled.

"Come on dears, I have places to be that cannot be kept waiting," she laughed.

Soma sighed and dragged himself away after giving Sebastian one last glance. Agni joined his side after offer Ciel a small wave. Both boys quickly took their leave, walking past Ciel's aunt and out of the room. Ciel visibly relaxed once they were gone and slumped downwards.

"I only came to see why you hadn't made it to school today, Ciel. Now that I know I can leave with a sense of peace. Rest up so that I can see my cute niece in class once more," the red headed woman chuckled.

Ciel grunted in response, allowing her eyes to drift shut as she tried to relax without feeling any unwelcome pain. After Soma she had a feeling it might be a little bit before that could be achieved. The lingering after effects of the boy's hug were still burning through the bruised flesh and rendering it impossible for the girl to completely be at ease.

"Sebastian do take good care of her, Ciel might be a hard one on the surface but underneath that she completely soft."

Ciel's eyes shot open, but it was apparent her aunt was not quite finished.

"Oh and you have my complete consent as her closest living relative!"

Ciel didn't point out that her Aunt Francis was still alive, even though she'd only ever heard of the woman through her grandfather's will because her father had refused to acknowledge his family, and instead attacked the most pressing issue. "Consent? For what?"

Her aunt only offered an obnoxious wink before she disappeared with a flash of red, leaving a perturbed Ciel gapping after her. Once the woman was clearly gone, Sebastian released a soft chuckle and approached the confused teenager; who apparently had lost all ability to speak as she stared at the spot her aunt had been in only seconds before.

"It appears that I'll have to brew more tea, due to the interruption this one has grown cold," he muttered to himself.

"Sebastian, what did she mean by 'consent'?" Ciel asked, looking at the demon out of the corner of her eye.

The demon sighed, "I assume it is referring to what I told her earlier."

"About our relationship?" Ciel guessed.

He nodded.

"Which is?" She pressed.

The demon looked both amused and smug as he turned to face Ciel. "As a demon contracted to you, it is my job to take a role suitable to the status of my master. In your pervious life I was your butler, but as this is the twenty-first century butlers aren't the norm I couldn't take that role in this life. So I simply informed your aunt of the most believable role for myself."

Ciel's eyebrow quirked up, "And this is?"

He chuckled, "My, my so impatient."

"Tch', just spit it out, you damned demon," she snapped.

"Please understand that any other would have brought up suspicion and we couldn't have afforded that," Sebastian stalled, amusement dancing around the edges of his expression.

"I don't care for excuse, just tell me what it is already," Ciel demanded. "Or do I need to make it an order?"

Sebastian smirked, "Of course not, my love."

Ciel blanched as the words registered. The mocking tone in his voice was pushed aside as she analyzed his words only, understanding that he had indirectly revealed to her the answer to her demand. Slowly, very slowly, it began to sink in; taking root until her face flushed a beautiful rose color like petals unfurling across her porcelain cheeks.

"Y-you...You didn't," she stuttered.

The demon smirked, leaning closer so that his face hovered over hers. "I'm afraid I did."

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN:** Bit of Sebastian trolling in here, couldn't resist._

_Side note: I don't believe I did it in this chapter but I know I've done it in pervious and in the description. When I write 'devil' with a lower case 'd' I'm referring to another name for demon, if I capitalize the 'D' then I'm referring to the Devil (aka. Lucifer, Satan, etc.). The term devil or devils is more of the ancient church term for demons, it would have been popular term for them during the Victorian era (around Ciel's time). It, unlike the term demon, is more narrowed in definition. Demon stretches across a large range that includes legends such as the ones from Japan like tengu and such. Devils are the more catholic term referring to fallen angels and the other beings in ranks with Lucifer._

_Review please!  
><em>


	6. Ch 6 A Royal Seal

_**A/N:**__ Sorry for the wait, exams killed me and I had wanted to get Cabaret Boy updated for Wednesday. I'll try to upload faster next time._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Six<strong>

Within a few days Ciel deemed herself healed enough to attend school once more, much to the disapproval of Sebastian who would have kept her back had she not ordered him to give her no problems over it. It wasn't that she was overjoyed to be back within the brick walls, more of that she couldn't stand being cooped up when she felt the need to get something accomplished. Of course that something being anything other than drowning in the piles of files she was shifting through on the Funtom company. Ciel swore that if she had to look at another sheet of their near failing production and sale numbers anytime soon, she'd rip her hair right out of her head.

Soma was energetic as always when he had greeted her, giving her a hug that literally squeezed the life right out of her before constantly hovering over her in concern for the rest of the day. It would have been a lie had she tried to say that he was just annoying. He was infuriating at this point, but being who she was, she sucked it up and dealt with the minor issue of being treated like she was made of glass.

The last bell of the day signaled the end of her torture and she was glad to be able to escape the cramped classes and packed halls. Throwing her books carelessly into her bag, she zipped it up and tossed one strap over her shoulder. Unfortunately, Soma and Agni were right behind her like always.

"Are you sure you don't want Agni to help with your bag?" Soma offered for the hundredth time that day.

Ciel gave an irritated sigh and nodded, as she pushed her way through the flow of students all trying to get out. "I'm perfectly fine, Soma. Everything has healed up perfectly."

"Your eye hasn't," he pointed out, looking directly at the velvet eyepatch the teenage girl now wore over her left eye.

Ciel brushed the tips of her fingers across the black piece of cloth gently, her thoughts turning in a very different direction then from what Soma had intended with his comment. Sebastian hadn't been very far from her mind all day and it didn't take much to drag the thought of the demon back. She still hadn't quite gotten over the shock Sebastian had dealt her over his reveal of what role he'd be playing during their contract and, overall, the rest of her life. That damned demon of course only enjoyed teasing her with it to no end.

" 'ello? Earth to Ciel!"

Ciel blinked slowly at Soma, before shaking her head and delivering the boy a look conflicted with annoyance and confusion. The said idiot stopped flailing his limbs and looked at her with concern swimming in his dark eyes.

"What?" Ciel snapped. "Is there something-."

She paused mid-sentence when her ears caught a conversation taking place just to the left of them. Interest piqued, she held a finger up to Soma to keep him quiet as she tuned in to what the gossiping pair of students were discussing as they walked slightly ahead of the three. It wasn't usual for her to care about what other people said, especially air brained teenagers, but something about the topic brought a sinking feeling to her stomach.

"Hanna texted me to say she saw him," the blonde giggled shamelessly. "Said he looked like he walked straight out of a magazine or something."

The blonde's companion chuckled, "Must be a college student if he caught her attention."

"Well, after she told me I had to check it out and for once she isn't exaggerating," the blonde flushed slightly. "He is be~_yond _gorgeous."

"Did she say when she saw him?" The other pressed.

The blonde frowned thoughtfully, "I think she said he looked like he was waiting for someone... Do you think he has a girlfriend here?"

"She's a lucky bitch if that's true."

Ciel tuned the rest out, having heard enough. For some reason what she had caught, brought Sebastian to mind. Scoffing at the idea, she shook her head. Even he wouldn't dare do something like that. Not after she'd threatened him this morning, but then again he was the type to find a loop hole in anything. If that were the case, she swore to herself she'd kill the demon with her own two hands. She'd make him wish he never even considering weaseling his way around her orders.

"C-Ciel..." Soma's stutter caught her attention about the same time as the hand on her shoulder did.

She turned to look at him, only mildly taken aback by the hint of fright in his eyes. It was only then that she was aware that she was shaking, both her hands clenched into fists by her sides. Glancing forward, Ciel drew in a series of deep calming breaths that soothed her mind temporarily. Once she was collected she mentally scolded herself for getting worked up over her own imagination. She had no solid proof after all that it was even the demon they were talking about.

All her efforts of soothing her temper flew out the window the moment they stepped into the student parking lot. Shock, disbelief, and finally fury flickered across the planes of Ciel's face in a matter of a second as her single sapphire orb settled on the last person she expected to see here of all places and she only grew anger when she realized she should have seen this coming in the first place. She mentally cursed herself, before thinking of ever foul word she could to describe the insufferable demon; because just like the gossiping twits had said, there he sat, looking as flawless as when she first laid eyes on him in this life.

From across the parking lot, Sebastian sent her his classic teasing smirk that irked her even further. The fact that he was so casual about clearly disobeying her was more annoying then anything else and Ciel knew his slippery tongue would be able to get him out of it somehow. Momentarily forgetting her companions she marched forward, a murderous determination stamped onto her face.

"You," she growled. "What are you doing here?"

The smirk stretched into a grin and before Ciel could even understand what was happening, she was yanked forward and into the circle of his arms. A chaste kiss quickly was pressed to her forehead, cutting the girl's next retort off before it even began as her cheeks flamed a bright pink. Ciel could practically feel the murderous glares drilled into her back.

"Wh-! What was that for?" She stuttered out her demand, ducking her head in a useless attempt to hide the blush.

Sebastian chuckled, "It appears I've made you a few enemies, Ciel."

Without looking up she delivered a weak punch to his gut, knowing that even if she had actually swung her hardest the demon wouldn't have felt it anyway. Either way the message was clear.

"I believe I told you not to come here and that I was perfectly capable of getting home by myself," she muttered, still not daring to look upwards just yet.

"You specifically informed me that I was not to come unless something important was to come up," Sebastian sighed dramatically, before smirking. "And I considered this was something that you would find important- That is unless you've changed drastically since your last life."

At the mention of her pervious life, Ciel's face finally came up to met the teasing tone of brown eyes. Her gaze flickered to the cream color that sat at the edge of her vision where it landed on a thick envelop sitting in the demon's hands. She scowled and glanced back at Sebastian's face.

"You came out here for a damn letter? A damn letter!" Ciel hissed.

Sebastian grinned, leaning even closer so that less than an inch was placed between their faces. "Not just any letter, my dear Ciel. This is a letter from Her Majesty to the heir of Phantomhive."

Ciel gawked, face momentarily draining of color as she reached out and snatched the letter from her demon's hand. The legends of her family's ties to the crown were no unknown to her- Ciel's father had renounced his family name because of that very fact. The dangerous work of the Phantomhive Earls as the Queen's Watchdogs, working to keep the dark side of London from reaching the light, was something her father had refused to commit to and what Ciel had been drawn to since she first learned of it. It wouldn't have come as much of a surprise to Ciel if the royal family had ignored her because of her father's betrayal or because she was female- it also wasn't a little known secret that they still kept the female members of the Phantomhive family away from that particular line of work.

Yet here was the letter all the same; stamped with an antique wax seal that boasted the royal family crest and about as authentic as if could get.

"When did this arrive?" Ciel mumbled, flipping it back and forth as if it would suddenly vanish from her hands.

"Right after you left an attendant to the crown arrived bearing the letter for you. It took some convincing to get him to hand it over to me, but in the end he was all too willing," Sebastian grinned, causing a shiver to slip down Ciel's spine. She didn't want to know what he had done to convince the poor man.

"And why wasn't I informed of this right away?" She inquired, sapphire eye narrowing onto Sebastian's face.

The demon grinned innocently. "Because you ordered me to not show my face to you under any circumstances whilst at school and that if anything important should come up that only then could I come find you afterwards."

Ciel cursed under her breath earning a chuckle from the demon.

"Would you like to know the contents?" He inquired seriously for once.

Ciel rose an eyebrow and gave a pointed look at the unopened letter, much to the demon's amusement.

"You of all people should know that I am not limited to human restrictions."

Ciel heaved an irate sigh. "I can very well read by myself you know, but since I feel this is neither the time nor the place to open such a thing, I allow you to divulge the information of the letter to me."

"Very well, then perhaps it'd be best we move ourselves to a more discreet location," Sebastian stated. "As it stands your friends look as if they are about to make the decision to come over here and demand that I not bother you."

Confusion swept over Ciel's face before she glanced backwards. She was awarded with the sight of the forgotten Soma and Agni watching her with carefully guarded expressions- or at least Agni appeared that way, Soma looked as if he wanted to tear Sebastian apart limb by limb. Sighing she turned back to face Sebastian.

"I agree."

"Then please wear this."

Before Ciel could understand what was happening a black helmet was tossed into her hands. She stared blankly at the thing her shock preventing her mind from fully comprehending the obvious meaning of the situation. Looking back up she rose an eyebrow at the demon.

"Why am I holding a motorist helmet?" She demanded.

Sebastian chuckled, "I couldn't have you getting hurt, now could I?"

Ciel rolled her eye, "I know what it's for, idiot. I meant why did you give it to me?"

"I thought you would be intelligent enough to figure that on your own, Ciel," he stated, amusement dancing in his eyes.

Ciel huffed loudly, "How am I ever supposed to figure anything involving you out? You don't exactly follow any rules, even my own."

At that the demon grinned broadly.

"Now tell me what exactly this is for," Ciel pouted, dangling the helmet from her left hand.

Sighing, Sebastian reached out and took the black object from her, before placing it securely on top of her head. Fastening it, he stepped back to admire his work before smiling softly. Childishly, Ciel pouted from behind the helmet, her one sapphire orb narrowed in annoyance. If anything, the expression only amused him more than he already was before he turned and swung his leg over the silver crotch rocket Ciel had failed to notice up until now.

Mouth agape, she stared at the racing motorcycle.

"Wh-...Why...?" She trailed off, words failing her.

Smirking, Sebastian turned halfway around to face her. "You didn't think I walked all this way, did you?"

Ciel shut her mouth with a click and folded her arms over her chest, the stance made humorous with the bulky helmet sitting over her head. "No... Well I was unsure of exactly how you got here, but I assumed you had run like you did the night you found me."

The smirk vanished as the raven haired demon sighed. "Unfortunately such forms of travel are limited in these days. Cameras and video feeds are so quick to record even the slightest of movement. Even though they pose no problems for someone like me, they become tiresome to avoid."

Ciel nodded, understanding what he meant. Many things had changed since the beginning of time and she could only imagine that as technology advanced the advantage demon's used to hold would grow shorter and shorter. Who knows, perhaps there will be a day when even they will be out done by human technology.

"Your friends will be coming over any second," Sebastian cut into her thoughts. "Might I suggest that we get moving."

Even though she nodded, Ciel made no move to approach Sebastian or the motorcycle. Her reluctance brought the demon to raise an eyebrow at her in silent question, which she took her time in answering.

"... I refuse to ride it," she muttered.

The eyebrow rose even further. "And why is that, Ciel?"

She blushed, quickly glancing down as unsteady fingers tugged at the edge of her skirt. Following the movement of her hands, a cruel grin worked its way up Sebastian's face about the same time the mischievous glint danced to life in his eyes.

"My, my, and here I was under the impression that you weren't going to let anything hold you back," he teased.

Her gaze shot back up to meet his in defiance.

"Nothing can hold me back from my goals," she stated crossly, chin lifting an inch higher in arrogance.

"Then get on."

The challenge was clear and the Phantomhive blood boiled to life within her petite frame. Chin held high in arrogance and pride, she carefully swung a leg over the motorcycle as she settled in behind Sebastian, arranging her skirt so that nothing could be seen. Once she was settled, she wrapped her fingers tightly into the sides of the white button downed shirt Sebastian was wearing.

"You'll have to hold on tighter then that," he warned her playfully.

She glared, reluctantly wrapping her arms loosely around him. The demon smirked, releasing his hold on the throttle and gunning the engine. A gasp flew from Ciel's lips as the machine shot forward; her arms instinctively tightening their hold on Sebastian's body and pulling her flat against his back.

Sebastian grinned as he glanced back at her, "Don't say I didn't warn you."

"Just shut up and tell me what was in that damned letter already."


	7. Ch 7 Kidnapped

_**A/N: **Update! No comment from me fortunately, other than that this chapter is a piece of shit and rushed. Forgive me for that, the next one will make up for it I promise!  
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_**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kuroshitsuji or it's characters. I just torture them ;)  
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><p><strong>Chapter Seven<strong>

"The crown wishes to bring back the Watchdog," Ciel announced upon settling into the leather chair in the study. "They also wish to hand my grandfather's title down to myself if I so wish to take it."

Sebastian hummed thoughtfully as he placed a cup of tea down before the teen. Ciel watched the movement with one sapphire eye before flickering back with feigned disinterest at the letter clutching in her left hand. She was still miffed over the motorcycle incident earlier and hadn't forgiven the demon yet, but her sulking hadn't seemed to bother him. If anything he seemed immune to it, which made her wonder just how alike the earl had been to herself.

"And what do you plan on doing?" He asked, addressing the issue at hand.

Ciel leaned back thoughtfully. "I'll accept of course. It's the first step in completing the contract. In order to raise the Phantomhive name back to it's former glory, if not better than before, I must."

The raven haired demon nodded his approval. "So you'll be the Countess Phantomhive then?"

"I guess," she muttered, a sour look crossing her face.

A single dark eyebrow arched at the expression. "Is that an unpleasant thought?"

Ciel shook her head and sighed. Countess Ciel Phantomhive, the name provoked two very different emotions, one stronger than the other. While it excited some part of herself, another more deeply tied part winced at the name. It didn't sound right, too feminine perhaps. It rang of an air of power, but as well as an air of politeness and lady like refinement. She shied away from the thought.

"It will take some getting used to," Sebastian mumbled gaining her attention.

Ciel frowned slightly, brows pinching together at the center of her forehead. "Why?"

Sebastian glanced at her and gave her a closed eyed smile. "I had grown used to knowing your pervious incarnation by the name Earl Phantomhive, the feminine title with the same name might be a bit troublesome for me to adjust to."

"I understand a bit," Ciel admitted, earning a surprised look from the demon. "Some part of me that I can only assume is the remnants of the late earl, bulks at the idea of being called a Countess. It seems too... delicate."

Sebastian chuckled, surprising Ciel. She gave the raven haired male a confused glare, one eyebrow arched higher than the other as her blue eyes cut straight to his face.

"That would have been the young master," Sebastian stated, his rust toned eyes gleaming in amusement. "He had a particular... aversion to all things relating him to femininity."

Ciel couldn't help but giggled softly. "And why was that?"

Sebastian gave her an amused look, but didn't elaborate any further than. "Just a few particular incidents that left some mental scars."

Ciel frowned in confusion, but something told her not to venture forward for a deeper explanation. She didn't know if she wanted to know what had happened to her past self to make him so against such qualities and if anything Sebastian's amusement further supported that decision. The demon only found uncomfortable and awkward situations humorous, being the sadistic bastard he was.

"Oh, your aunt called just a while ago when you had childishly locked yourself in your room," Sebastian paused when he took note of the glare thrown his way, before continuing with a smirk. "She invited us to dinner tonight."

Ciel looked up from the Queen's letter in surprise. "Dinner with Aunt Ann?"

Sebastian grinned, sending a shiver down the girl's spine. That one look told her she wasn't about to like what was going to be said next.

"She simply wishes to get to know your boyfriend better."

Ciel glowered at the demon. The pretense of their relationship had not been forgotten, just simply pushed to the back of her mind to be forgotten as soon as possible. Having it brought up again brought Ciel back to the root of her building annoyance with the raven haired male. Dating had never been at the forefront of the teen's mind, but now she'd been given no choice in the matter thanks to that demon- and that wasn't even an insult to him.

"What time?" Ciel asked reluctantly.

Sebastian made a show of looking down at the cell phone he had seemingly pulled from thin air. Placing it back into his back pocket he grinned. "I'd say she'll be here in about an hour. She insisted that we ride with her."

The calm demeanor in which he delivered the news threw Ciel off for about a minutes, until the information sunk in and she realized just how much time that gave her to prepare. Her face paled ten shades as she leapt from the chair behind the desk and made a bee line straight for the study door.

"That doesn't give me time to do much of anything!" Ciel moaned, running a hand down her distressed face. "Oh gosh and knowing Aunt Ann she'll have some ostentatious dinner reservations made."

Sebastian chuckled lightly behind her. "She did request that you wore something nice."

Ciel snorted, "She'll be lucky if I even go at this point. I would have rather had her inform me of these plans prior to the day of the event."

"She probably assumed you'd find a way to decline her offer if you had time to think of something," Sebastian stated.

Ciel rolled her eye, "She assumed correctly then."

The cobalt haired girl let out another frustrated sight as she entered her room with the demon two steps behind her. She had a few things she had been planning on getting done tonight, but that was looking impossible with these new unexpected plans. There wasn't much she could do about the other things, she'd have to complete that business on a later date, but responding to the Queen's letter was of the upmost importance and there would be no way to forge-

"Sebastian."

Said demon looked up at his Ciel in confusion. "Yes?"

"You can forge a letter, can't you?"

* * *

><p>"I did not agree to this," Ciel hissed, a single blue eye glinting with venom.<p>

The only response was a whimsical giggle. "You were too dolled up for me to refuse the chance to take you. How could I give up the opportunity to show off my adorable little niece?"

Ciel shifted awkwardly from heel to heel as she glowered at her aunt who seemed less than affected by her foul mood. In fact the red head was enjoying herself throughly. She giggled and chatted happily with any passing person who would willingly lend an ear to her, which was pretty much everyone in the place. Ciel however, glowered darkly from under her carefully constructed hair.

She should have known her aunt hadn't simply planned for dinner out with her niece and her overage boyfriend- damn the demon for that title. If the invitation hadn't been enough to cause suspicion, the entire fiasco of dragging Ciel back into her room to force her into a dress should have been. Black dress pants and a nice blouse should have been fine for a dinner, but her aunt had stripped Ciel done and shoved her into scarlet evening gown before doing the girl's hair and makeup.

Sighing, Ciel fingered the flowing skirts of the dress. It was a nice fit, unsurprising coming from her aunt, fitted to her small chest before flowing freely about her figure in a flattering manner before coming to an end around mid thigh. The material was a gauzy red over an equally red silk, definitely a purchase of the infamous Madame Red. Ciel sighed, her aunt's taste never changed.

"Dear, don't ruin your hair," her aunt scolded lightly as she caught Ciel fiddling with her bangs.

Ciel swallowed back the urge to snap a glare at the woman as she dropped her hand away from her bangs. She wasn't worried about the hair per say, it was what it was hiding that she worried would be revealed if the hair moved. For the second time that evening she was furious with the older woman for hiding the eye patch from her and Sebastian for doing nothing about it.

Thinking of the demon, Ciel frowned and glanced around for him. She hadn't seen him since her aunt had dragged her into this godforsaken evening party.

"Looking for someone?"

Ciel jumped as the hand settled onto her bare shoulder, before turning to glare over her shoulder. Mention the devil and he'll arrive, she thought dryly.

"Where were you?" She demanded in a disinterested voice, as her sapphire eye watched her aunt disappear into the crowd.

Sebastian chuckled and removed his hand only to wrap it around her thin waist much to the girl's disappointment and humiliation. She instantly went rigid at the touch, a brief memory flashing before her eyes, before she forced herself to calm down. Mentally she scolded herself that it was just Sebastian, but the memories that the touch illicit left her body strung up and on defense.

Of course the demon wouldn't miss this.

His hold loosened and he sent her an apologetic look, before carefully arranging a playful smirk on his face. Ciel shivered at the look, she already knew she wouldn't like what it entailed, especially after the incident earlier.

"Can I have this dance?" He asked, inclining his head towards the other couples ranging from all ages moving about the dance floor at a fast paced waltz.

Ciel's eye widened visibly and she quickly shook her head, holding her hands up as she took a step back away from the grinning demon.

"No, no, and no," she stated. "I refuse."

If possible his grin grew wider. "Oh? But isn't a young lady supposed to love the art of dancing?"

Ciel folded her arms across her chest and clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "Of course not. That's just a stereotype made against the female sex."

"Are you sure it isn't something else?" Sebastian prodded with a malicious grin.

Sapphire widened. "Wh-What are you trying to imply?"

Smirking, the raven haired male leaned in till he was inches from her face. His eyes sparkled dangerously, briefly flashing scarlet before fading back to their innocent tone of brown. Ciel swallowed hard as she tried to take a step back only to find her back pressed to a wall. Damn demon, she cursed.

"Perhaps you simply cannot dance?" He teased with a condescending grin. "It wouldn't surprise me after all the young master wasn't very talented in that subject and you are him."

Ciel scowled, tilting her chin up slightly. "I'll have you know that my parents had me take dance lessons when I was younger."

"Oh?" He was amused now.

She blushed slightly and glanced quickly away, adding in a much lower voice. "Though I didn't stick with it,..."

Sebastian grabbed her hand abruptly startling her from her train of thought as he dragged her towards the dancers. The sickening smirk on his face made her anger simmer just below the surface of her calm exterior. Stopping just on the outside of the ring of dancers, he gently placed one hand at her waist and the used the other to grab her hand.

"Then this shouldn't be a problem for you."

Ciel blanched, stuttering, "O-Of course it would be! I...I've never danced in heels before!"

At the there mentioned shoes, Ciel glanced down to the four inch death traps currently pinching her toes. The outwardly dainty appearance of the black velvet was entirely misleading, they hurt like hell and promised she'd be meeting the floor sometime this evening if not sooner. The only decent thing about them was that they improved her height, yet she still was completely dwarfed by Sebastian. Even accompanied by the heels she only came up to his shoulders. It irked her further that the male had to be so massive in size.

Chuckling softly, Sebastian ignored her protest by gliding them effortlessly into the sea of other dancers.

"I would never allow you to embarrass yourself in my presence, Ciel," he promised softly in her ear, the soft locks of his fringe tickling her neck as he leaned back away.

Ciel blushed profusely and looked to the side to prevent the demon from seeing it. She wouldn't admit it, but her heart had leapt at his proximity and made her feel... good. Of course she would never say it too anyone, not even herself. It was a miracle she could bring herself to even acknowledge that she understood how easily other women seemed to fall into Sebastian. If his looks didn't do the trick, his charm surely would. Perhaps other demons were the same... or was it just him? She shook her head at the thought. It was tough enough with one Sebastian in the world, Ciel couldn't imagine multiple Sebastians running around.

Sebastian danced well, much to her chagrin. If he had been only halfway decent she might have been able to mock him for doing the same to her, but as it stood he was just as flawless at dancing as he was at everything else. Each move seem fluid, running gracefully into the next like water in a stream. Her picked up on where she lacked and made it seem like they were both competent when it came to dancing, while Ciel knew that wasn't true.

The hand resting low on waist managed to catch her attention when Sebastian was forced to adjust its position after a fumble on Ciel's part. Somehow it distracted her throughout the rest of the entire dance as she tried to ignore the way it made her skin tingle even through the fabric of her dress. She tried to convince herself that there was no feeling there, of course not it was all her over active imagination trying to make her uncomfortable. Somewhere, subconsciously, Ciel believed she might have been a tad sadistic or masochistic... somewhere along those lines to want to cause herself such embarrassment and possible discomfort.

Ciel blinked up at Sebastian after realizing they had stopped before quickly breaking his hold and stepping away. Her cheeks flushed with heat as she quickly turned her back to him, mumbling something about having to go powder her cheeks- the polite way her mother had taught her to say she had to go the bathroom when with a certain crowd. This crowd certainly fit into that training and she quickly cut through it, keeping her head ducked to hide from unwanted attention.

The cobalt haired teen slipped into the ladies bathroom before either her aunt or Sebastian could stop her. Wondering into the first section she found a large carpeted room with mirrors on either side and various lounges placed about the space. A granite counter lined one wall with a single vase of roses in the center. Ciel approached this and leaned heavily against the counter as she released a low groan of frustration once she knew there was no one else in the room to see her.

The mere thought of her demon bothered her to an extent she'd never experienced. She wished she could pass it off as being some left over frustrations from her past incarnation as the Earl Phantomhive. Ciel didn't doubt those two butted heads, especially if he was anything like her, but deep rooted she knew this wasn't the cause of her current predicament. She refused to believe that it could be anything more, although there was always that possibility and it made her want to yank her hair out just thinking that it could be possible.

She glanced up and frowned at her reflection. This was not Ciel Phantomhive. Ciel was prideful, stronger, and didn't let things effect her like this. She was too proud to let her emotions get the better of her if she even had them at all. She would not act like this.

"Excuse me?"

Ciel turned at the voice, arranging her face into a blank mask to hide her surprise as she looked over at the new comer. The woman smiled politely, admittedly even shyly, as she closed the door against the noise of the socialite party outside.

"Is there anyone else in here?"

The teen cocked her head to the side, wondering if the woman was possible looking for someone, before shaking her head. Turning away in hopes the woman would either continue her search or leave, she pushed down the urge to shiver. Something in her gut felt sick, that something was seriously wrong.

She pushed the feeling aside.

"Oh good," the woman sighed, her voice much closer than before causing Ciel to stiffen. "Then there won't be any witnesses."

Before she could scream a cloth covered her mouth and nose, as she was jerked back roughly against the woman to prevent herself from escaping. The sickly sweet smell of chloroform filled her nostrils as she struggled against the hold. Ciel tried to hold her breath as she kicked and thrashed about in an attempt to free herself from the harsh grip on her, but in the end the need for oxygen won out. With each labored breath her movements became weaker and slower, until they halted altogether as blackness finally dragged her under.


	8. Ch 8 Bang

**Chapter Eight**

"You sure this is her," the gruff voice followed after a prodding foot that had managed to bring Ciel out of unconsciousness. She blinked slowly, finding that her sight was obscured by some form of cloth bag. Her heart skipped a beat when this registered past the fog, but she forced herself to take a deep breath and allow her mind to process everything that had happened before she did anything drastic. Panic, she had learned, did more bad than good.

She remembered dinner with Sebastian and her aunt clearly and slowly the rest filtered through her groggy mind. The party, the dance with Sebastian, fleeing to the bathroom, the woman- it all slowly came back until she couldn't remember anymore clearly. The rest came in clips, like picture frames making up a rather choppy film. The woman had pressed something to her face, she'd passed out- Ciel could only assume that they had taken her somewhere.

"Yes."

It was the woman's voice that filtered through this time and Ciel tried not to squirm at the sound of it. How the bitch even managed to get her out of the party without anyone, let alone Sebastian, noticing was a mystery. Ciel hadn't noted a window when she'd entered, but perhaps she'd failed to notice it. She hadn't exactly been in her right mind when she had run in there. A pout appeared on her lips at the memory, but she banished the thoughts as quickly as they filtered in. She'd deal with those later when she wasn't tied up and blinded.

"So this is the soon to be Countess Phantomhive... I must admit I'm rather disappointed, I was expecting someone... older," the first voice mused, laden with a heavy Spanish accent.

The bag over her head was torn off, leaving her to blink rapidly against the sudden flood of light that briefly blinded her. The room slowly came into focus, bits and pieces registering before the teen could see the full picture. It was an office of sorts, a private home office if she were to guess. She laid down on the ground near the north wall, facing the entrance at the south end. Paintings and other various antiques scattered the decor to make the place feel official like the tomes holding their place in the bookshelf. A man was leaning against the desk not a foot or so away from her, while the woman who'd jumped Ciel in the bathroom earlier was standing near the doorway.

"Ah, but she has a lovely face. Wouldn't you agree, my mariposa?" He grinned cheeky, as he kneeled down before her.

Ciel's eye narrowed and she lifted her chin up arrogantly, or as much as she could while being in her current position. It wouldn't do to dignify that remark with a response.

The man, a male in his later thirties with darker coloring, merely chuckled at her defiance and reached forward to snag her chin with his hand; roughly dragging her upright by it until she was angled awkwardly half-upright and half-lying on her side. It was painful, but she didn't allow it to effect her features besides the slight tightening of her lips.

"What do you want?"

He tipped her chin future upwards with his pointer finger, forcing Ciel to meet his hungry gaze. "It's simply: prevent the Watchdog from coming back. Your grandfather was enough of a pest, the old dog couldn't keep his nose out of anyone's business. It was a relief to hear his son wouldn't be following in his steps, but you, my sweet mariposa, had to ruin that. We can't have the queen's loyal mutt sticking its nose where it's not wanted."

So that was what this was about. It made sense to Ciel, anyone who was working in the shadows would be afraid of the rise of the Phantomhive household. They'd want to protect their sorry excuse of trades in any way they could. This included, and was not limited to, kidnapping. And all this was occurring before the Queen had recieved her acceptance letter, she could only imagine what lengths they would take after it was publicized.

"You english have this complex, you see, you'll do anything for that Queen of yours. The loyalty is almost sickening," he spat.

Ciel rolled her eye and yanked her chin away from his grasp. "Your morals certainly are rather warped if loyalty is something to be sick over." She smirked suddenly as an idea struck her. "Though if it sickens you so, why do you want it from your men? It seems to me that if they weren't loyal your little pack of rats would turn against you... Perhaps they are even thinking of doing so now."

"Shut up!"

The hand that met her face was enough to force Ciel back down to the ground, the taste of copper biting at her tongue. She swore she heard something crack as well, but she didn't dare yelp or show any form of weakness. Ciel wouldn't be giving him that satisfaction.

"You need to learn your place, mariposa," he bit out. "You're in no position to be talking so bravely."

This was true, she was the one bound with belts and laying vulnerably on the floor while he was not. Yet she stubbornly refused to let this affect her actions. Ciel had never been one to willingly be submissive or succumb to the force of someone else. If she was going down it was going to be swinging. Plus she had a few trumps of her own, lurking just underneath her sleeve.

"Now I ask that you withdraw any acceptance letters to the Queen and write a rejection, right now... or we'll have to make you disappear."

Ciel stared blankly at him as she was once more hauled upright into a sitting position, a white sheet of paper and a pen shoved in front of her face. She blinked at the two pieces like they were alien to her, before looking up at the man in front of her with a small coy smile.

"But I already sent the first."

"Don't lie to me," the man bellowed. "My men haven't seen anyone come to the mansion or leave it since you left. No messages have been deliver by your either. So tell me where the original is so that we can destroy it."

"Do you really believe that would stop me from accepting?" Ciel questioned.

He smirked, "The Queen won't forgive your family twice, mariposa."

Ciel didn't even bat an eyelash. If he had meant for that to be a low blow, she was the least bit affected by it. Ciel herself had called her father a coward in the past for turning his back on the family, away from his duty. He'd been born with a great responsibility to take when the time came, but instead he'd walked away from it. It was cowardly and Ciel had held no respect for her father in that sense.

"Now tell me or else your pretty boy toy gets it," he threatened.

Ciel had to bow her head to hide her smirk. She had little concern for Sebastian, the demon could take care of himself just fine. Any harm he took would hinder him if anything at all. True, she was actually curious as to what could happen if he were to take a bullet. Would he even feel the pain? How long did it actually take to heal? The questions lingered, but mainly she only wanted to know who would win that short term battle: Sebastian or the gun?

Clearing the smirk into a wide spread smile, Ciel lifted her head and inclined it to the side smugly. There was nothing about her expression that revealed fear and she knew it ticked off the man more than anything. He wanted a hostage he could hustle in order to get information out of them, but sadly he'd picked the wrong target to do so on. Ciel was, if anything, good at keeping secrets.

"It would be nice to see if little puppies can play with a wolf."

A small chuckle was all her warning, before a boot came flying out to make contact with her stomach. The steel tipped toe dug in at an angle, catching her in the ribs as well. The air flew out of her lungs, flying out of her parted lips in a strangled gasp of pain. Ciel forced herself not to react besides that as the pain slowly began to dull until it matched the many other aches surfacing around her body. She'd just healed from the other incident and Ciel had a feeling Sebastian wasn't going to be too happy to find that she had found herself in a similarly situation.

"Negotiations are over," the man bit out into the phone he was clutching. "Kill him."

If Sebastian hadn't known she was kidnapped before, he'd certainly know now.

As if to further highlight her point, Ciel heard the clear sound of a gunshot ringing out from the speakers embedded into the cell. For a brief moment, Ciel's stomach twisted at the sound of it, images of Sebastian wounded and dying burning into her mind. She could clearly see it now: the scarlet blooming across her chest where the bullet had made it's deadly entrance, his beautiful face twisted up in either shock or pain. There wouldn't be much time if the shot were accurate, if not, it might take a while.

Ciel shook her head, snorting silently to herself for being so dumb. Sebastian couldn't get killed with such a weapon. That would be an insult to the demon race if one of their kind could be so easily done away with by a human weapon. It also wouldn't make sense, he was immortal after all. Immortals just didn't die.

"Damn."

The cruse broke the odd silence that had settled over the room, building a tension so thick it could have been cut with a knife. Ciel saw the man shift from foot anxiously. The news was bad, it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out, and it was visible in the way sweat began beading at the man's brow.

"I swear I made the shot boss," the man began hastily. "No, I know I made that shot. There was blood and everything... Yet he... he..."

"Spit it out, you useless bastard!"

"He... got back up... and... looked right at me," the male on the other end stuttered.

A large grin broke across Ciel's face and she didn't even attempt on hiding it. The outcome was expected, though she was surprised Sebastian hadn't been more theatrical about the entire thing.

"What do you mean he got up? If you shot him he should be de-."

"Shit!" The other voice swore. "He's coming this way."

"Get out of there, you worthless shit," Ciel's kidnapper ordered. "Return at once or else I'm going to kil-."

"Good evening."

The suave voice that cut him off made Ciel smile widely. She could never say with such honesty as she did now, that she was glad to hear his voice. The expression her kidnapper wore just made it all the more entertaining- the icing on the cake. His face had drained completely of blood in a matter of seconds, leaving him looking unusually pasty. The sweat on his brow looked as if someone had turned a faucet on; streams of sweat trickling down the sides of his face. His eyes were the best though. Ciel particularly enjoyed the way they seemed to bulge out of his head at her demon's voice.

"I am Sebastian Michaelis, Ciel's boyfriend... I hope she hasn't been troubling you," Sebastian's voice continued through the phone, a detectable hint of smugness interlaced in the velvety tone. "Hello? Is something the matter?"

The grip the man had on the phone tightened considerably and Ciel suspected that if he held any tighter the plastic that made up the cover would crack under the pressure. The idea was amusing, but she had more pressing issues, like figuring out how to let Sebastian know he had to get her without alerting the man and getting a beating.

"_Allow me."_

Ciel jolted at the voice that floated through her mind. It was distinctly male though it held a hint of femininity that suggested youth. So a young male...? She didn't have much longer to ponder over this before she felt a presences blanket herself. It was familiar, as if something from within her soul was surfacing up from the depths.

"_Woof._"

The words moved from lips working on their own and the voice floating from her throat was definitely not her own. Ciel was floored with confusion as the presence faded away. What had that been. She dared not think possession, a realistic person would never jump to that conclusion.

Then again a realistic person would never believe in devils.

There was a short tense pause of silence in the room, before finally Sebastian spoke once more, his smooth voice filling up the room. "Understood. Right away. I'll come for you soon... so please wait a bit longer."

The line was cut off with static, the annoying buzzing replacing the demon's voice. Her kidnapper didn't move so much as a muscle, while Ciel could barely contain her relief. Whatever had just happened to her had obviously been what was needed. Sebastian had understood it and at this point that was all that mattered.

Orders were barked out in spanish the moment the man snapped out of his stupor. The words were harsh and undecipherable to Ciel who had elected not to take the language. Now more than ever she wished she had. It might have come in handy to know what the man was saying, though it was easy to guess that the words had something to do with preventing Sebastian from ever reaching her.

Outside the room she could hear people running about, arranging themselves in front of the door to the private office. Ciel could count twelve sets of footsteps, but she suspected that there might have been a few more besides those. Even if there were more however, she didn't fear it. A whole army wouldn't be able to take Sebastian down.

Or at least she hoped as much.

The shuffling died into a dead silence rather quickly, the only noise echoing throughout the place was the loud ticking of the grandfather clock. It marked off each second, with a rhythmic _tick, tick, tick_. Each drifting one marked off another passing moment, another long moment that Sebastian hadn't fulfilled his promise. But there was not even a second of doubt in Ciel, she knew he'd come. It wasn't debatable. The demon did everything he said he would. He didn't lie. He would come.

_Tick, tick, tick._

Ciel had lost count of each passing sound from the clock by the time it was joined with another sound. The whisper of shoes brushing against the floor seemed like deafening thunder in the silence. The tension rose with each one, until it coiled in the air so thick one could have cut it with a knife.

They didn't stop, only grew closer. There were no dramatics: no loud screaming, unearthly cries of pain, or gunfire. Only deathly silence, broken by the steady footfall of an approaching stranger.

Until finally there was a knock on the door.

"Wh-Wh...Who's there?"

Ciel watched with increasing smugness as her kidnapper stuttered and trembling before the unknown entity on the other side of the door. The pistol in his hand was poised at the double door entrance, finger trembling on the trigger. What little Ciel knew of guns, it wasn't hard to figure that he wouldn't be able to get a straight shot in that state.

The door opened in a dramatic sweep, revealing Sebastian in his full glory and, if Ciel squinted around him enough, a glimpse of the pile of bodies outside the door. Ciel's eyes lingered on the dead, wondering how Sebastian had killed them without making a sound. It developed a sense of awe in her for her demon. Said devil offered a mock bow, his signature smirk dancing at the corners of his mouth.

"Pardon me, I'm here to retrieve my date for the evening."

Her kidnapper lowered the gun, first a look of disbelief on his face and then amusement. The man chuckled to himself as he dropped his armed hand to his side. The room rung with his laughter, before he peeked out of one eye to look Sebastian over; the amusement not yet gone from his face.

"And here I was expecting a monstrous man," he chuckled. "Your nothing more than a pretty boy Romeo."

"What are you really?" He asked, lighting a cigarette. "A hired guard for the mariposa? A hit man?"

"Just one hell of a boyfriend," Sebastian smirked as Ciel rolled her eyes at the pun.

"Well I have no intentions of fighting you," the kidnapper paused, reaching down to Ciel and grabbing her by her hair. He yanked her harshly upright, drawing a suppressed yelp from her pursed lips. "I'll be taking Miss Phantomhive with me."

Sebastian's eyes narrowed dangerously and Ciel swore she saw a glint of scarlet touch his irises. "I'm sure we can work out an alternative."

Her kidnapper laughed, drawing the barrel of his pistol across the curve of Ciel's neck and her jawline. The cold metal nipped at her skin as the gun drew closer to her lips, where it teasingly followed the line of her full bottom lip. Ciel flinched at the touch, but tried to remain impassive outwardly.

"Negotiations won't be open. I'll be taking her with me," he stated, before dropping his voice to a soft murmur. "I suspect such a lovely mariposa would catch a nice price in the market, but don't worry she won't feel a thing by the time I turn her over to those perverts. The drugs pumping through those pretty veins of hers will be keeping her brain-dead, like every lovely doll should be."

Ciel flinched as the gun moved upwards and along the side of her nose, till the barrel was edging up the corner of her eyepatch. The velvet material came undone by the nudging of the gun and she had just enough time to squeeze the eye closed as the patch slipped away from her eye and fluttered down to the ground.

"Shame about this eye, but the rest of her will make up for it. I'm sure there are quite a few buyers looking for a girl who can double as a young boy," he snickered, tapping her side. "Not a single curve."

A low growl left Ciel's lips, she did to have curves. They weren't anything developed of course, or overly accented, but it wasn't as if she could help that. Still she resented him even more for saying that and, call her vain for doing so at such a time, the current situation didn't merit any worry so personal insults she'd take.

The gun tightened in the man's hand, pressed threateningly against her temple. "Now let us through or I'll shoot her."

Ciel stiffened about the same time Sebastian lazily eyed the gun. Once more Ciel had to remind herself that this was Sebastian and that he'd probably dealt with situations similar to this in the past. Actually if Ciel were honest, he'd probably dealt with situations much worse then this before. She'd never asked Sebastian about his past, or about his time with the other Ciel, but she made a mental note to do so. It would be interesting to hear about her other self's experiences.

"I'm afraid I cannot do that."

There was an ominous click of the gun, as the safety was removed.

"Then I'm afraid I'll have to shoot... you."

A round was shot, followed by another, each blast of the gun making Ciel's ears ring as she squeezed her eyes shut. She expected it to be herself, but by the time the noise died down, she felt no pain and felt very much alive.

"I believe your man already shot me once this evening and, forgive me for saying this, but I do detest the idea of having to extract another bullet."

Ciel smirked as she watched Sebastian lean over her kidnapper, his smile strangely polite as he flashed it at the shocked man. Her kidnapper looked in a state worse for wares, his eyes bulging out of his head as he forced himself to swallow hard. With a practiced air of slowness, Sebastian rose a gloved hand and pressed a bullet at the man's temple.

"Bang."

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><p><em><strong>AN:**_ _Thank you for being patient with me and for all the support. You guys are AWESOME! (and yes that required all caps). _


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